The big streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime pump billions of dollars into new film and series productions every year. The question often rightly arises to what extent these enormous sums are still appropriate.
Now Amazon’s agent series Citadel has sparked a discussion of this kind. The action series has even been extended by a second season cost even more than initially thought, and to all appearances aroused little enthusiasm in the audience. For Amazon, this should become an area of conflict internally.
Amazon’s Citadel budget exceeds previous estimate
A new report from Bloomberg reveals that Citadel Season 1 cost over $250 million. This budget, which otherwise flows into expensive cinema blockbusters, has so far hardly a hype led around the action series.
Citadel received mostly average reviews and most importantly, never made the US chart of the top 10 most streamed series, which is compiled by market research firm Nielsen. However, Amazon has signaled that the series will become a larger franchise with multiple seasons and potential spin-offs.
While internally it is still believed in a slower success of Citadel, Amazon is making progress probably some skepticism broad. According to Bloomberg, the group wants to take a closer look at its own spending on streaming productions.
Implications of Citadel flop unclear
Amazon will certainly not take such a drastic step as Sky Germany recently, where all its own original productions will be discontinued. It remains to be seen whether and how the group will take further steps.
In Citadel, two top spies (Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden) are drawn into an international conspiracy. The series is produced by the Russo brothers (Avengers: Endgame).
Podcast: The 20 Best Series Launches of July on Netflix, Amazon and More
Need more fresh streaming tips? You can find the most exciting July series that you can stream on Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and more here in the monthly preview:
At this point you will find external content that complements the article. You can show it and hide it again with one click.
We have checked the long starting lists of the streaming services and present you the 20 big highlights of the month in the Moviepilot podcast stream trawl. There are three big fantasy returnees on Netflix and Amazon as well as a sci-fi epic that hardly anyone knows. In addition to insider tips, there is also a reunion with Futurama and Sylvester Stallone’s own reality show.
*. . .