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John Mulaney is circling the role of Agent Maxwell Smart in Warner Bros.’ upcoming movie reboot of “Get Smart,” Variety has confirmed.
Talks are still in the early phases. Seth Grahame-Smith, who wrote 2025’s “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,” is attached to write the script, with Andrew Lazar and Chuck Roven producing.
Origins of the 1960s Series
Mel Brooks and Buck Henry created the original “Get Smart” television series, which premiered in 1965 and ran for 138 episodes before ending in 1970.
Don Adams starred as the bumbling but endearing Agent Smart, playing opposite Barbara Feldon’s sharp and capable Agent 99, while Edward Platt portrayed the Chief of the Control agency.
The show picked up seven Emmys over its run, among them three for Adams’ acting and three for Outstanding Comedy Series.
The 2008 Film and Its Numbers
The franchise made its first jump to the big screen in 2008, with Steve Carell taking on the lead role alongside Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin and Terence Stamp.
Peter Segal, known for directing “50 First Dates,” helmed the film, which performed reasonably well at the box office. Debuting with a $38 million opening weekend, it went on to gross $230 million worldwide against an $80 million budget, figures not adjusted for inflation.
Here is how the two versions compare:
| Version | Lead | Year It Started | Key Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| TV series | Don Adams | 1965 | 138 episodes, seven Emmy wins |
| 2008 film | Steve Carell | 2008 | $230 million earned |
Mulaney’s Current Run
Mulaney was most recently seen hosting Netflix’s “Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney,” a talk show that ran for 12 episodes in 2025. He’s also gearing up for “Mulaney Takes Manhattan,” a nine-date New York comedy tour launching in January.
On the film side, he’s set to appear in David O. Russell’s sports biopic “Madden,” playing Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins.
At the 2024 Governors Awards, Mulaney joked about auditioning for a “Young Cop” part in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Warner Bros. film “The Bride!” It seems the four-time Emmy winner and the studio may finally be teaming up for real.
The deal is not done.
Source: variety.com
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