Prime Video revealed Joe Russo is set to direct all episodes of Season 2 of Citadel, a hit spy series starring Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Prime Video is also making Citadel’s first episode available for free for a limited time to celebrate the success of the show's first season.
Citadel is part of an ambitious project executive produced by the Russo Brothers, who were asked by Prime Video to develop a new spy IP that could sustain multiple series in the upcoming years. The first season of Citadel is reportedly the second most expensive in television history, with Prime Video investing more than $300 million for six episodes. While the streaming company took a risk by burning so much money with a single season, the numbers couldn’t be better, as Citadel is currently Prime Video’s fourth most-watched series worldwide. Given that the series finally only premieres tomorrow, that is already an astonishing result.
Despite a lukewarm reception by critics, Citadel gathered a legion of fans, who ultimately ensured the series’ success. In addition, with the Russo Brothers getting closer to production for Season 2, there’s still time for Prime Video to fix the first season’s issues and turn Citadel into the critical success it's meant to be. Fortunately, the company trusted the Russo Brothers' vision for the project and renewed Citadel for a second season before the series premiered. In addition, multiple international spinoffs are currently being developed in Italy, Mexico, and India.
Commenting on Citadel Season 1’s success, Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon and MGM Studios, said:
“Citadel is a truly global phenomenon, Our goal was always to create a new franchise rooted in original IP that would grow Prime Video’s international audience. This show has drawn an outsize number of new international customers to Prime Video. Its massive worldwide debut audience is a testament to Joe and Anthony Russo’s remarkable vision, the incredible talents of Richard Madden, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Lesley Manville and Stanley Tucci, and the tireless work of the creative teams, cast, and crew. Given the overwhelming number of our customers who have embraced this show, we are not only thrilled to share the premiere episode of Citadel globally without membership, but also confirm that the series will return for a second season.”
What’s Citadel About?
The Citadel universe revolves around the titular agency, a group of spies loyal to no nation and dedicated to keeping world peace. The Citadel is opposed by the evil Manticore, an espionage cell funded by the wealthy and powerful to steer world politics in their favor. In the first season of Citadel, we follow Mason Kane (Madden) and Nadia Sinh (Chopra Jonas), two Citadel spies who join forces to face Manticore eight years after an attack that almost wiped out the agency.
The final episode of Citadel Season 1 debuts on Prime Video tomorrow, May 26. Starting tomorrow, the first episode of Citadel will also be available on Amazon Freevee. There’s still no release window for Season 2.