Prime Video gambles big on 'Citadel: Diana' with $300m expansion

Do you love action-packed productions, grand-scale ventures, and engaging intrigue? Prime Video is doubling down on one of its flagship series, "Citadel," which this year is expanding into a true universe. Joe Russo—of THE RUSSO BROTHERS, renowned for major productions and high-budget films—serves as the executive producer. He describes it as a global spy agency, Citadel, with members from around the world whose mission is to protect people globally. The rival agency, Manticore, opposes them, engaging audiences worldwide with the stakes Citadel is fighting for.

This concept has given birth to two new productions within this universe, with a unique twist. "Citadel: Honey Bunny" is set in 1990s India, while the action in the second series, "Citadel: Diana", unfolds a few years after the events of "Citadel" in Italy. The first episode of "Diana" is already streaming on the platform.

The first episode kicks off with a dramatic scene: an agent unflinchingly shoots herself in the arm. It's her alibi; no one can discover her true motives and purpose.

The world of "Diana" is set in the near future: the year 2030, with the action taking place in Milan. Eight years earlier, the Citadel fell, and a powerful hostile syndicate, Manticore, took over. During these years, Diana Cavalieri (played by Matilda De Angelis), a Citadel agent working undercover, is embedded within Manticore as a spy. Social tensions are rising due to growing support for widespread gun ownership. Manticore's agents control citizens, knowing more about them than they do. Diana finally sees the chance to escape, leave her spy life behind, and disappear forever. However, to do so, she must trust an unlikely ally: Edo Zani (Lorenzo Cervasio), the Manticore heir in Italy. We quickly learn her motivations: her lifelong aspiration is to solve the mystery behind her parents' tragic deaths and bring the culprits to justice. That's why she joined her greatest enemy.

If Matilda De Angelis looks familiar, here's a clue: she played a small but electrifying role in HBO's miniseries "The Undoing," portraying the lover of the character played by Hugh Grant. She was mesmerizing in that role, so it's exciting that a wider audience can now see her lead in a high-budget production. The Italian actress excels as a double agent with a family secret, convincingly portraying the spy role more so than Chopra from the original series. Her performance exhibits a dynamic range of emotions. She fits perfectly into the almost futuristic setting of the sequel, which boasts a visually captivating world, surpassing the multi-million dollar production from 2023.

- From the outset, it was established that each series must have its own identity, distinct visual language, and tone. There was no expectation for every series to be interconnected beyond being set in the same universe - states Gina Gardini, the showrunner of the Italian series.

The near-future, "subtle" futurism of "Diana," serves as an excellent backdrop for a world where billionaires wield complex and deadly technologies. Everything works seamlessly here: set design, costumes, and props create a polished spy series with a compelling central character and a robust plot. The question remains whether De Angelis' relatively unknown name will attract a wide viewership. Audiences have six episodes to find out, all now available on Prime Video.