Prime Video axes 'Honey Bunny' and 'Diana'; second season of 'Citadel' to come out in 2026

New Delhi: Streaming service Prime Video has pulled the plug on the two spin-off shows of the Citadel franchise – India-set Honey Bunny, starring Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, and the Italian chapter Diana, headlined by Matilda De Angelis.

The stories of the two shows will be woven into the second season of the original show Citadel, featuring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden. The sophomore instalment will premiere in the second quarter of 2026, reported Variety.

“While these successful and widely enjoyed international chapters will not continue as individual series, season two of ‘Citadel’ will be our most exhilarating yet,” said Amazon MGM Studios head of television Vernon Sanders.

“With high-stakes storytelling, new additions to our amazing cast and bold, cinematic ambition, the new season will deepen the emotional journeys of Nadia, Mason and Orlick against the relentless force that is Manticore. We’re excited to share what’s next when ‘Citadel’ Season 2 premieres globally in Q2 of 2026.”

The news of the two shows being cancelled follows the departure of Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios, who was instrumental in developing the series and driving its global expansion.

Citadel, created by Josh Appelbaum, Bryan Oh and David Weil, launched on Prime Video in March 2023. It featured Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Mason Kane and Nadia Sinh, two elite agents from a shadowy international spy organization called Citadel, whose memories were wiped after the agency's fall.

It also featured Stanley Tucci as Bernard Orlick and Lesley Manville as Dahlia Archer, an agent of Citadel's rival organisation Manticore.

The streamer has released the official logline for the second chapter of Citadel.

“One month after the events of the first season, we find our Citadel spies underground, as they’re being hunted by Manticore agents around the world. They’re pulled out of hiding to join forces with a new team of unconventional spies when Manticore’s Brazilian billionaire Paulo Braga threatens to unleash a cataclysmic piece of technology, built by Citadel’s own Bernard Orlick, into the world,” it read.

Prime Video had ambitious plans for the Citadel franchise when it was officially announced in 2018.

The series drew attention for its challenging development and season one production, which included several changes in showrunners, multiple edits, and reshoots. And while its performance was solid, it didn’t quite reach breakout status in terms of ratings.

Honey Bunny, directed by filmmaker duo Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, was released in November 2024 and became Prime Video’s most-watched series worldwide during its first weekend.

It was preceded by the release of Diana, which turned out to be the streamer’s best-launching Italian original in October.