Launched amid much fanfare in 2023, Citadel - led by Priyanka Chopra and Richard Madden - was Amazon's ambitious attempt at building a globe-spanning spy franchise.
Despite facing production hiccups, the show laid the foundation for a larger universe, including international spin-offs. In 2024, the Indian chapter Citadel: Honey Bunny, starring Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Varun Dhawan and the Italian edition Citadel: Diana, fronted by Matilda De Angelis, made their debut. Hopes were high that these additions would expand Citadel into a global juggernaut.
However, Amazon MGM Studios has now pulled the plug on both international spin-offs, even as it confirms that the second season of the original Citadel series is officially on the way. Initially expected to premiere in 2025, the sophomore season has now been pushed to 2026.
Vernon Sanders, Head of Television at Amazon MGM Studios, told Deadline that the narratives from Citadel: Honey Bunny and Citadel: Diana will now be incorporated into the second season of the main series. "The Indian and Italian shows will not continue as individual series," he said, but promised that the upcoming season will be the most thrilling yet, saying it will be their "most exhilarating" season to date.
Filming for season two has already wrapped up, but the three-year gap between seasons and lukewarm reception of the spin-offs led to ongoing speculation about the franchise's future. Reports suggest that Citadel: Diana and Citadel: Honey Bunny failed to resonate with international audiences, casting doubt over their longevity soon after their premieres.
Meanwhile, other planned spin-offs like Citadel: Mexico have also been paused indefinitely. Just days ago, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the studio is "not happy" with how the second season of Citadel has shaped up so far. Insiders claimed Amazon is dissatisfied with the footage and creative direction of the new episodes.
The uncertainty around the series has only deepened since the departure of Jennifer Salke, the former Head of Amazon MGM Studios, who had championed the Citadel universe during her leadership. Initially conceived as Amazon's answer to the James Bond franchise, the series' prospects now appear murky-especially with the actual Bond franchise now under the same studio umbrella.