Citadel - Amazon's Latest Spy Action Show

The Russo Brothers are back in the spy game!

The Russo Brothers are back at the spy game!

Joe and Anthony Russo return a year later to the spy genre. Last year’s Netflix film ‘The Gray Man’ starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, and Ana de Armas was an immediate departure from the grandeur of superhero films for the brother directors. Although I’d argue that their first foray into Marvel, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, was more akin to the spy genre than outright superhero spectacular.

The Russo Brothers are executive producers on the newest Amazon series, Citadel. Richard Madden (Game of Thrones, Bodyguard, & Marvel’s Eternals) and Priyanka Chopra Jonas (‘Quantico’ & ‘The Matrix Resurrection’) star in the newest action espionage series created by The Russo Brothers. The series is set to premiere on April 28th on Amazon Prime Video. 

Mason Kane (Madden) and Nadia Sinh (Chopra Jonas) are former operatives of Citadel, the once international and nation agnostic spy agency. Eight years previous, Citadel fell to a competing organization known as Manticore. Kane and Sinh survived, but were not unscathed as they had their memories wiped. But years later when an old colleague, Bernard Orlick (Stanley Tucci) reconnects with Kane, the pieces on the chessboard start to reappear. Orlick needs help with thwarting Manticore’s current objective that threatens the world. Kane reconnects with former Citadel operative and lover Sinh and together the pair lead the assault across the globe against Manticore. 

As for Madden, this may be the closest we will see him as James Bond. Or perhaps his time in the Citadel may just be the nudge Eon, the producers of James Bond films, to slot Madden in the role. Whether Richard Madden’s aim is for the Double-Oh section or not, he is shooting, punching, and skiing like a secret agent. The trailer certainly shows he is capable with or without the license to kill. 

Priyanka Chopra Jonas stuns with her beauty and wits as she takes on Manticore operatives. Similar to Madden, she had may statements it was time for a woman to play Bond and perhaps her. While we will refrain from the full scale conversation here, she certainly seems to put up a fight to hold her own. From the trailer, it looks like she is equipped to combat using an array of skills. The Indian actress has always been able to captivate with her beauty and acting, but she looks comfortable and at home in this role as Nadia Sinh. 

Citadel is a large scale series for Amazon. The Russos have developed this show to have multiple series for other countries that proceed this series’ release. Additionally this is one of the most expensive show of all time. With The Russo’s track record, it is hard to see why Amazon wouldn’t trust them with this task.

Overall, the trailer looks fun and exciting. While elements seem to head in an over the top realm, memory loss via mind wipes, some action bits, intelligence agencies working for the greater good, I do think this has a lot of potential to be an exciting show worth watching! It may be more James Bond than George Smiley, but that is not a bad thing!

I am intrigued to see both leads square off against the baddies as they try to save the world. Additionally, I am intrigued by this multiseries approach that will spin off of the main Citadel series. Seems like a lot of action and espionage is headed our way!

One last final bit… why does the poster and title font look like Tenet?