Despite Its 56% RT Audience Score, Prime Video's Citadel Had An Ambitious Future Planned

Published Aug 30, 2026, 5:30 PM EDT Laura Hurley has been writing about the entertainment industry for more than twelve years, after a decade as a content producer and editor at CinemaBlend after writing for WhatCulture and Examiner. Attending events like SCAD TVfest and San Diego Comic-Con over the course of her career, she has been immersed in the world of network, streaming, and cable TV. Citadel was once primed to become a major spy franchise for Prime Video, complete with a massive budget for season 1 and plans to produce more spinoffs before the original even returned for season 2. Unfortunately for the streaming service, the $300 million investment in producing Citadel didn't pay off, and the series didn't become a hit with critics or viewers from home. Still, Prime Video gave the franchise a solid try before seemingly giving up on the push for a larger Citadel world. The spy thriller had a recipe for success from the start, and not just because of the massive budget for the first season. Citadel delivered star power from the start, including two veterans of hit TV shows as the leads. Richard Madden, for whom Citadel was arguably his biggest role since being famously killed off Game of Thrones, starred as spy Mason Kane. Priyanka Chopra, who led three seasons of Quantico on ABC, played Nadia Sinh, a talented spy herself. The twist that the characters were married upped the ante, and Academy Award-nominee Stanley Tucci added some prestige to the cast. The first season released to mixed reviews in 2023, and viewers had to wait nearly three full years to see Madden, Chopra, and Tucci back in action for season 2 in 2026. After two seasons, the show holds a 56% approval from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes, and only fares slightly better among critics, with a score of 65%. Season 1 was a bigger hit among fans with an approval rating of 62%, but the average dropped after the 50% approval for season 2. Between those two seasons, a pair of spinoffs were produced and premiered, with another two in the works. Now, months after season 2 ended on a big swing for Madden's character, the future is uncertain for what once seemed like a guaranteed hit for Prime Video. Both Of Citadel's Official Spinoffs Were Cancelled After One Season Jonathan Prime/©Amazon/Courtesy Everett Collection Citadel first expanded beyond the scope of the original show just over a year after season 1 ended, thanks to a pair of spinoffs that released in quick succession. Citadel: Diana, set in the Italian Alps, was the first to debut in October 2024. Citadel: Honey Bunny, set in India, premiered in November 2024. Both shows got off to strong starts in their respective markets. Citadel: Diana became the biggest global launch for an Italian Original ever in the history of Prime Video back in 2024. It reached the Top 5 on the streaming service in nearly 150 countries, and reached #1 in the United States, Italy, and the U.K. Citadel: Honey Bunny set a record less than a month later, when the Indian spy series became the most-viewed show globally during its opening weekend. While it didn't reach the same heights as Diana, it did trend in the Top 10 in the U.S., Canada, France, and Italy, among others, as well as rank at #1 in India. Unfortunately, high global viewership wasn't enough for either Citadel spinoff to be renewed. Amazon MGM put development on all spinoffs on hold in early 2025, with The Hollywood Reporter reporting that the studio was unhappy with the progress of season 2 of the original at the time. Just weeks later, both Diana and Honey Bunny were cancelled, and Prime Video did not move forward with planned spinoffs that would have been set in Spain and Mexico. Is The Main Citadel Show Returning For Season 3? Paul Abell/Prime At the time of writing, the main Citadel show has not been cancelled or renewed for season 3. This doesn't bode well for the thriller, since Prime Video wasted no time in renewing Citadel for season 2. The renewal order came the day before the season 1 finale even released. Four months have passed since all seven episodes of the second season were released, with no news about the future. No news doesn't have to be bad news, of course, but the second season delivered a twist that guarantees major changes for a third. Citadel killed off the main character in a shocking twist. While this certainly isn't the first time taht Richard Madden has starred on a show that delivers a game-changing death, Citadel isn't as guaranteed to survive as Game of Thrones was. Season 2 did seem like a hit early on, when it surged to the #2 spot on Prime Video's global viewership charts when it released in May. It came in only behind the final season of The Boys, which was expected to be the big winner of the season anyway. For now, viewers just have to wait and see if the same problems that resulted in the spinoff cancellations will lead to the end of Citadel after just two seasons. Release Date April 28, 2023 Network Prime Video Showrunner David Weil Cast Richard Madden Mason Kane / Kyle Conroy Directors Newton Thomas Sigel Writers John Applebaum, Bryan Oh, David Weil Creator(s) Josh Appelbaum, Bryan Oh, David Weil