If you’re a devoted listener ofThe Sneider Cut, this news may sound familiar, but Amazon Studios made it official today –Priyanka Chopra Jonas(Quantico) andRichard Madden(Bodyguard) will star inCitadel, the new international spy series from the Russo brothers. You know, those guys who made a little movie calledAvengers: Endgame.
Citadelis an ambitious project for Amazon as well as the Russos' company AGBO, as there will be local-language productions of the franchise in Mexico, Italy and India. Madden and Chopra Jonas will star in the U.S. “mothership” edition of the global series.
Josh Appelbaum,André Nemec,Jeff Pinkner, andScott Rosenbergof Midnight Radio will serve as writers and executive producers ofCitadel.Patrick MoranandMike Laroccawill executive produce withJoeandAnthony Russo. The Italian series will be co-produced with Cattleya (Gomorrah), which is part of ITV Studios, and the Indian series will be developed byRaj NidimoruandKrishna D.K.(The Family Man).
Chopra Jonas made her American TV acting debut with the ABC dramaQuanticoand went on to play the villain in theBaywatchmovie oppositeDwayne JohnsonandZac Efron. She recently starred in and co-produced the indie movieThe Sky Is Pink, and she’ll soon be seen inRobert Rodriguez’s Netflix movieWe Can Be Heroes, as well as the streamer’s adaptation of the acclaimed novelThe White Tiger, which she’s also executive producing. Additionally, Chopra Jonas is developing an untitled Indian wedding comedy withMindy KalingandDan Goorfor Universal, which she will co-produce and star in.
Madden is the formerGame of Thronesstar who recently earned rave reviews for his turn in the BBC-Netflix seriesBodyguard. He recently starred oppositeTaron EgertoninRocketman, and he’s currently filmingChloe Zhao’s Marvel movieEternals, in which he’ll play Ikaris. Madden can also be seen in a supporting role inSam Mendes'1917, which isup for Best Picture.
I would expect Amazon to give the Russos a big-budget for this series, which has a lot of upside if it works. Chopra Jonas is an international superstar whose recent marriage toNick Jonasmade global headlines, and Madden’s own profile is growing thanks toBodyguardand a leading role inEternals. Amazon is catching both of them at just the right time, and I can’t wait to see how this series comes together. For more on Marvel’sEternals,click here.
