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Amazon cancels Citadel with Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Varun Dhawan as Priyanka Chopra series takes the lead

Despite decent viewership, the Indian and Italian chapters won’t return for Season 2 as Amazon reshapes its global spy franchise.

Amazon cancels Citadel with Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Varun Dhawan as Priyanka Chopra series takes the lead

Bollywood stars Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Varun Dhawan share a moment at the trailer launch of Citadel: Honey Bunny in Mumbai

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Pooja Pillai
By Pooja PillaiApr 17, 2025
Pooja Pillai

Pooja Pillai is an entertainment journalist with Asian Media Group, where she covers cinema, pop culture, internet trends, and the politics of representation. Her work spans interviews, cultural features, and social commentary across digital platforms.

She began her reporting career as a news anchor, scripting and presenting stories for a regional newsroom. With a background in journalism and media studies, she has since built a body of work exploring how entertainment intersects with social and cultural shifts, particularly through a South Indian lens.

She brings both newsroom rigour and narrative curiosity to her work, and believes the best stories don’t just inform — they reveal what we didn’t know we needed to hear.

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Amazon has officially called time on Citadel: Honey Bunny and Citadel: Diana, the Indian and Italian spin-offs of its ambitious spy universe. The decision means fans won’t get a second season of either show, despite initial plans to expand the franchise across continents. Instead, their storylines will now be folded into the second season of the original Citadel, led by Priyanka Chopra and Richard Madden, which is now set to release in 2026.

Citadel, launched in 2023 with big-budget backing and star power, was created by the Russo Brothers as Amazon’s answer to global spy franchises like James Bond. While the show faced its share of behind-the-scenes drama, it managed to kickstart a broader universe. India’s version, Honey Bunny, featured Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Varun Dhawan, while Diana in Italy was fronted by Matilda De Angelis. Both dropped in 2024 to mixed reviews but decent viewership.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Varun Dhawan for their Amazon Prime Video spy series Citadel: Honey BunnyGetty Images


However, Amazon MGM Studios has now chosen to discontinue both spin-offs. Vernon Sanders, the studio’s Head of Television, explained that while the international chapters were “enjoyed,” they won't return as standalone series. Instead, elements from both stories will be stitched into Citadel Season 2.

Filming for the new season is already done, but viewers will have to wait until 2026 to watch it, following a delay from the previously expected 2025 release. According to Sanders, the upcoming season will feature bigger stakes, new characters, and further explore the lead roles of Nadia, Mason and Orlick.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden light up the red carpet at the Los Angeles fan screening of Prime Video’s CitadelGetty Images


The cancellations arrive amid wider shifts at Amazon. Several projects greenlit during former studio head Jennifer Salke’s tenure have reportedly been paused or scrapped. This includes other planned spin-offs like Citadel: Mexico and possibly even the Tomb Raider series starring Sophie Turner, though that has yet to be confirmed.

For now, the streaming giant appears to be scaling back its sprawling franchise ambitions in favour of tightening its focus. Whether this trimmed-down approach can reignite interest in Citadel remains to be seen.

amazondianahoney bunnynadiapriyanka choprarichard maddenrusso brotherssamantha ruth prabhuspinoffsspy universevarun dhawancitadel

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