Summary

• Costing $250 million, Citadel season 1 fared poorly in the ratings but still got renewed for season 2.
• Prime Video faces a challenge with Citadel season 2 after disappointing viewership results for the first season.
• Citadel season 2 has a lot of intriguing storylines to work with after the many twists and turns during season 1.

Amazon's epic action series Citadel impressed viewers during its explosive first season on Prime Video, and now details about the cast, story, and release date for season 2 are becoming known. Debuting in April 2023, Citadel stars Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas as secret agents who must recover their lost memories to stop a rising criminal organization from taking over the world. Noted for its high production values and stellar cast, Citadel season 1 raised the bar for what was possible in an exclusive streaming TV series and helped make Prime Video a legitimate destination for new content.

Proving Amazon's confidence in their big investment, Citadel was renewed before its first season even ended. Although its critical reception was mixed (via Rotten Tomatoes), the series proved to be popular with viewers who were drawn into the action from the very first episode. Amazon wasted no time in making Citadel a franchise with spinoffs coming in various countries like Spain, Mexico, and India, and another, titled Citadel: Diana. The ending of Citadel season 1 left the door open for an even bigger season 2, and essentially helped to kick off what is being referred to as the "Citadel Spyverse."

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Citadel Season 2 Latest News

Prime Video Reports Lackluster Viewership

Updates have been scant regarding the action series' second outing, but the latest update reveals that Citadel's viewership numbers fell far short of its massive cost. With a season 1 budget of over $250 million, Citadel has been a huge flop for Prime Video, not entering the top 10 streaming shows once in its first season run. Clearly, that puts more pressure on Citadel season 2 to perform. However, with a longer than expected wait for the show's return, that likely won't help it to retain viewers and the show faces an uphill climb to remain on the air.

Citadel Season 2 Is Confirmed

A Second Season Has Been Announced

Despite woefully poor viewership numbers in its expensive first season, Citadel has been renewed for a second season and was green-lit before season 1 aired. However, the aforementioned lackluster performance and delays caused by the 2023 Hollywood strikes have cast doubt on the project's future. The project is still officially confirmed, but it is unclear if the original plans are still in place.

Citadel Season 2 Cast

Who Will Return?

The cast of Citadel season 1 was one of the biggest draws for the series, and the announcement of Citadel season 2 at least confirmed the returns of a few notable ensemble members. Priyanka Chopra Jonas will be back in season 2 as Nadia Sinh, and she will be joined by her co-star and fellow agent Richard Madden as Mason Kane/Kyle Conroy. Additionally, head honcho Bernard Orlick will once again be played by veteran character actor Stanley Tucci, and Lesley Manville will return to her role as the villainous Manticore leader Dahlia Archer.

The expected cast of Citadel season 2 includes:

Citadel Season 2 Story Details

What Happens Next?

While nothing firm has been revealed about the plot of Citadel season 2, the finale of the show's first season certainly left enough questions unanswered. Several major revelations completely recontextualized the events of the first season, not the least of which was Citadel's explanation for Richard Madden's American accent. Mason will have to come to terms with his own recovered memories, and season 2 will have to touch on more of his connection to his newly revealed mother, Dahlia, and explore his reasoning for selling out Citadel as a mole.

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Also, the reveal that Mason had fathered a child with Nadia will certainly add another wrinkle to their will-they-won't-they relationship in Citadel season 2, and the stakes will be even higher with a child's life on the line. Though the final episode of season 1 offered a lot of answers to important questions, those answers mostly prompted more questions that will need to be addressed in the next installment of the show. Bernard was last seen being tortured by Dahlia, and his fate will likely be the subject of its own storyline in upcoming episodes.

The Citadel Spyverse Explained

A Larger Universe Is Planned

Though the news regarding Citadel season 2 is exciting, it is only the beginning of a larger "Citadel Spyverse" that will include spinoffs. The first of the show's massive expansion comes in the form of Citadel: Diana, which was slated to debut in 2024. The spinoff will connect to Citadel and stars rising Italian star Matilda De Angelis in the title role. The mysterious character of Diana was teased in the final episode of Citadel season 1, but nothing else has been revealed. Several other spinoffs are in the works, but little is known about them except for the fact that the Russo brothers are producing.