The highly anticipated second season of “Citadel,” produced by the Russo Brothers through their company AGBO, has encountered significant hurdles. Scheduled to premiere globally in the second quarter of 2026, the series is now under intense scrutiny following Amazon’s recent decision to scrap two international spin-offs, “Citadel: Honey Bunny” and “Citadel: Diana.” This exciting advance comes against a history of troubled production, marred by a revolving door of showrunners and budget overruns.
Citadel, which traces the pulse-pounding adventures of spies-on-the-run from Manticore assassins across the international cities, is picking up only one month after wrapping its debut season. The narrative revolves around the characters who must unite with a new team of unconventional spies to combat a looming threat. Manticore’s Brazilian billionaire, Paulo Braga, poses a dire risk by threatening to unleash a catastrophic piece of technology designed by Citadel’s own Bernard Orlick.
Though it is a series with great potential born from an ambitious premise, the idea has suffered many setbacks. The production went through a number of drafts. These changes have led to dueling cuts and costly reshoots, pushing costs north of $200 million for only six episodes. For many, this unexpected burden has led to doubts about whether future installments are feasible.
This is only the beginning with “Honey Bunny” and “Diana” being the first to go. The team has junked their more ambitious vision for a full slate of similar offshoots. Other spin-offs from the Russo Brothers’ portfolio, such as with “The Gray Man” and “Cherry,” faltered under negative reviews. As such, they won’t be coming back for future seasons. This trend of failed expectations has led Amazon to reconsider its strategy with original content. Specifically, they’re focused on the tutelage of former Amazon MGM Studios head Jennifer Salke.
The decision to delay “Citadel” Season 2 until 2026 reflects Amazon’s cautious stance as it grapples with production challenges and financial implications. The series was originally touted as a flagship project, with multiple spin-offs enabling adventurous storytelling. Its future is uncertain.
As excitement continues to build for the delayed February 2024 premiere, fans can clearly expect the Russo Brothers to overcome these massive hurdles—but will they? We know the streaming content landscape is rapidly evolving. That leaves us wondering if “Citadel” can keep its head above water as competition heats up and production hurdles hit.