Review: spy series Citadel goes beyond James Bond: ‘Most comprehensive series ever made’ | show

As brothers Joe and Anthony Russo, the men behind the two most successful action films of all time Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgamespeak separately about their most ambitious project of their rich career then there is something special going on with the espionage series Citadel.

“We both love espionage stories, have seen almost everything, but were speechless when we were confronted with this production. We’ve never experienced it this daring before,” says Anthony, who, like his brother, is involved in the project as a producer.

Joe: ,,Actually Citadel all-encompassing compared to what has been made in this genre to date. And we also mean a franchise like James Bond. We are going a few steps further.”

To indicate how confident the makers are, they point to the fact that before the series was shown on Prime Video, Amazon’s streaming service, two spinoffs have already been initiated in India and Italy. These side branches, featuring new and familiar characters from Citadelwill almost certainly become available this year.

What is Citadel actually about? The title refers to an international secret service that includes agents Mason Kane (Richard Madden, known from the BBC series The Bodyguard) and Nadia Sinh (played by Priyanka Chopra, who starred in the movie version of Baywatch) employs. The two know their trade, as evidenced by the opening scene in which half an army of opponents are eliminated in a train during widely reported intense action scenes (the trademark of the Russo brothers).

Years later, the international espionage service has disappeared from the face of the earth. The former collaborators have been stripped of their memories, as well as their combat instincts. But when an elixir emerges that restores both agents to their old qualities and memories, a global intrigue develops, with a character played by British actress Leslie Manville as one of the villains. Five-time Emmy winner Stanley Tucci, one of the founders of Citadel, plays her rival.

Joe Russo: ,,Citadel is the most comprehensive series ever created. We aim for many local markets with local characters. We are in close consultation with the writers from India and Italy to coordinate things. We set out the lines after which the local film crews can go ahead and pick up on what happened in the parent series Citadel.”

Whether this plan will succeed is a big gamble for all involved. Amazon has reportedly never invested so much money in a television series. Exact amounts are not mentioned, but given the many international locations from the first episodes, it will still be well above two hundred million dollars.

Joe Russo: ,,It is different to work with Citadel than with our feature films. Due to the limited playing time, you are hardly able to give the characters any relief in this type of action drama. But with a series like this it is possible. That is why the actors were immediately enthusiastic.”

Richard Madden, who was once mentioned as a potential James Bond impersonator, particularly liked playing two different versions of the same man. “One Mason carries many scars from his past as a spy. The other is a family man unaware of his own past. That contrast made these roles extra special for me.”

It is not inconceivable that if the series does indeed catch on, Citadel will get even more derivative side series. “We will definitely look into that,” said Anthony Russo. He does not want to confirm whether a Dutch side branch is possible. Given the limited language area, compared to India and Italy, it also seems like a difficult option.

Citadel begins on Prime Video on April 28

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