After bringing the first decade of the MCU to a close, writing and directing duo Joe and Anthony Russo are in the middle of launching a brand new franchise on a massive scale; the globetrotting spy drama Citadel, which stars Richard Madden (Game of Thrones, Eternals) and Priyanka Chopra Jonas (The Matrix Resurrections) as lethal secret agents who also happen to be ex-lovers.
Season 1 of Citadel premiered on April 28, launching viewers into the subterfuge-filled world of Mason Kane (Madden), Nadia Sinh (Chopra Jonas), Dahlia Archer (Leslie Manville) and Bernard Orlick (Stanley Tucci). It is immediately obvious from the scale of the action and the lore of the world in which the story takes place that there is runway for future seasons of the show.
With the sixth and final episode of the first season now out, here’s everything we know about what lies in store for Citadel.
Will there be a Season 2 of Citadel?
Amazon Prime Video renewed Citadel for Season 2 the day prior to the release of the Season 1 finale, with Joe Russo returning as director and David Weil as showrunner.
“Citadel is a truly global phenomenon,” Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon and MGM Studios, said in an official statement. “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.”
There were initially some question marks hanging over a potential second season, with the show’s expanding budget to consider: due to extensive reshoots following a massive behind-the-scenes change of personnel due to creative differences, Season 1 of Citadel ended up costing more than $300 million to make, putting it just behind The Rings of Power as Amazon’s most expensive streaming project to date.
“That was always the intention with the show is that it would have a cinematic scale to it,” executive producer Joe Russo told Collider. “And Amazon has been incredible about supporting the show and supplying the right resources, [and] infrastructure to do that.”
However, that hefty price tag does appear to be paying off: Citadel is one of Amazon’s most popular original shows of all time, and as of right now sits at the platform’s Number 1 spot in almost 200 countries. There are also plans afoot to launch a series of multi-lingual spinoffs set in Italy, India, Spain, and Mexico.
Who will be in Season 2?
It is hard to predict given that the Season 1 finale has only just aired, and the Russos have promised an “explosive” climax, but should all key players make it out of the sixth episode alive, we can expect to see Madden and Chopra Jonas return, along with Stanley Tucci as Orlick.
Philip Ellis is a freelance writer and journalist from the United Kingdom covering pop culture, relationships and LGBTQ+ issues. His work has appeared in GQ, Teen Vogue, Man Repeller and MTV.
