Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the creative mind behind BBC smash Fleabag and the last James Bond blockbuster, has set tongues wagging after being spotted in north London carrying what looked like a folder full of notes.
The 40-year-old actress kept things casual in denim dungarees and a striped T-shirt, but the sight of her clutching the papers has fans wondering if she’s quietly working on a new project.
Back in 2019, Waller-Bridge signed a staggering $100million five-year deal with Amazon after a fierce bidding war. But despite her early writing triumphs, the partnership has yet to deliver the kind of breakout hit the streamer hoped for. Her much-hyped Tomb Raider TV reboot has reportedly been scrapped, with insiders calling the idea “dead” and no filming in sight despite promises it would begin in early 2025.
The blow comes after Jennifer Salke — the Amazon Studios boss who championed Waller-Bridge and secured her $20million-a-year “golden handcuffs” deal — was ousted last week, in what some suggest was partly due to the lack of results from high-profile signings like this one.
Waller-Bridge had also been linked to a Mr & Mrs Smith reboot but exited in 2021, with her contributions wiped so clean she wasn’t even credited. Acting roles have been rare too, limited to Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, animated film IF, and a small role in scripting No Time To Die.
Her personal life, however, remains on a steadier course. She’s been with British-Irish playwright and filmmaker Martin McDonagh, 55, since 2017. Speaking to Vanity Fair, she called him “a genius” and revealed they sometimes swap notes on scripts: “It’s really useful being with someone who I think is a genius — it just ups your game.”
While Tomb Raider may have been shelved, Waller-Bridge will next appear in fantasy adventure A Big Bold Beautiful Journey alongside Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell. Whether that mysterious folder means she’s plotting her next big move remains to be seen — but for fans, hope is officially rekindled.
