Do you have to watch the Mr. and Mrs. Smith movie before watching the Prime Video series?

Prime Video has a new iteration of the classic 2005 Mr. and Mrs. Smith movie coming Friday, Feb. 2, 2024! All eight episodes of the series of the same name will drop that day. So since the new show is sort of based on the film, do you need to watch the feature-length production first?

The answer is, no. You don't have to watch the Mr. and Mrs. Smith movie before watching the series on Prime Video. While the initial idea and basis of the story comes from the film, the new spy comedy really is a standalone. This time instead of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt being the field operatives in action, it's Maya Erskine and Donald Glover who are the spies.

As someone who's already watched all eight episodes since they were made available to press, I can tell you that the 2024 story is quite different. There's some similarities like the couple being married, both of them being spies, the marriage counseling aspect, and other subtle easter eggs you might find. Overall, the Mr. and Mrs. Smith series is action-packed like the film, but it's really more rooted in the two main characters, their growth as a couple and individuals, and their relationship. They go on some wild adventures! But at the end of the day, the progression of falling in love and showing your insecurities to another person makes the two characters relatable.

The show follows John and Jane who agree to go into an arranged marriage that's set up by a mysterious spy agency called "hihi". That's the first big difference between the show and movie. In the film, the couple has already been married for a few years. But here, they meet for the first time when they agree to get married as part of their job. The two "navigate a high risk mission every week while also facing a new relationship milestone," per the synopsis. So really in terms of the work they do, there's no secret between them there.

So don't you worry! If you're only interested in watching the Mr. and Mrs. Smith Prime Video series or don't have time to check out the movie beforehand, then you'll be fine. I personally recommend the Mr. and Mrs. Smith film if you're looking for something fun and enjoyable to watch. And unfortunately, you won't find Jolie or Pitt making a cameo. It's currently streaming on Prime Video and Starz. But if you were thinking of watching the production just for background information about the series, then you don't have to.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine premieres Friday, Feb. 2, 2024 with all eight episodes on Prime Video.