Sam Hargrave Set for New ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’-Style Action Thriller ‘It Had To Be You’

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Sam Hargrave, known for his action work, is planning a new film: a stylish thriller about an assassin with a romantic side. The movie promises plenty of action and suspense, but also hints at a deeper story with a strong romantic connection between the characters.

According to Deadline, director Sam Hargrave will helm It Had To Be You for Sony Pictures. This new action thriller is based on Eliza Jane Brazier’s novel of the same name and centers around two hitmen tasked with killing each other, a mission that becomes more complex when they fall for each other.

The project is already drawing comparisons to the movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith due to its central idea. The film, set in Western Europe, will be an “epic game of lust and murder” featuring two rival assassins, Eva and Jonathan—though the actors playing those roles haven’t been chosen yet. The screenplay is written by author Brazier, based on her own novel, and the film is being produced by Platinum Dunes and Sony Pictures.

Platinum Dunes, known for films like A Quiet Place, has a solid track record in the action genre. Director David Hargrave is praised for his dynamic and well-executed action sequences. If the leads have good chemistry, It Had To Be You could stand out from typical assassin movies by focusing more on the complex relationship between the main characters.

The project’s timing highlights Hargrave’s current position in Hollywood. He’s a highly sought-after action director, and this new film adds to his already full workload. He’s currently preparing for Extraction 3, which is expected to start filming around mid-2026.

Hargrave recently finished filming Matchbox: The Movie, an action film based on the popular Mattel toy line and starring John Cena, scheduled for release in summer 2026. He’s also set to direct a movie adaptation of the graphic novel Kill Them All for Paramount Pictures. These projects demonstrate that the film industry increasingly sees him as a director capable of handling big-budget, commercially successful action films.

While the premise of It Had To Be You seems perfectly suited to Hargrave’s style, the story – about two assassins drawn to each other – relies heavily on the actors’ connection. The next big announcement will likely be the casting choices, as the performers playing Eva and Jonathan will ultimately determine if the film is a clever take on a classic story or simply another action thriller with an interesting idea.

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2026-04-15 20:47