A decade in development, this spy rom-com struggled to find its footing on screen.

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before it became a 2012 romantic comedy starring Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, and Tom Hardy, the concept for This Means War spent over a decade in development hell. Originally featuring video game designers and guided missiles, the project underwent massive rewrites before settling on its final spy-versus-spy premise.

The journey of This Means War began in May 1998 when 20th Century Fox acquired a speculative script by Marcus Gautesen. In this early iteration, the story centered on two best friends feuding over a woman who moved into their spare room, causing chaos across New York City. Over the following years, the project saw a revolving door of talent, with actors like Bradley Cooper, Seth Rogen, Sam Worthington, Chris Rock, and Martin Lawrence all linked to the production at various stages. By the time director McG took the helm in 2010, the script had been overhauled to focus on two CIA agents competing for the same woman.

Upon its release on February 17, 2012, the film faced a barrage of critical disapproval. Reviewers frequently cited poor editing, weak humor, and a lack of chemistry between the leads as major flaws. Critics like Roger Ebert and those at The Hollywood Reporter labeled the film incompetent and embarrassing, while others noted that the blend of action and romance felt disjointed. Despite the negative reception, the film managed a worldwide gross of over $156 million against a $65 million budget, and audiences surveyed by CinemaScore awarded it an A- grade.

The production also faced hurdles with the Motion Picture Association of America. The film was initially assigned an R-rating, reportedly due to suggestive dialogue from Chelsea Handler’s character. To secure a more commercially viable PG-13 rating, the studio submitted an edited version of the film. While the final product was widely panned by professional critics for its cartoonish tone and lack of heart, some reviewers found merit in the lighthearted, unpretentious nature of the performances, particularly the dynamic between Pine and Hardy.

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