I’m well aware that many of you who gave Prime Video’s glossy, futuristic spy series Citadel a try were more than a little let down by the drama, which was released last year and backed by the Russo Brothers. Its Rotten Tomatoes scores alone (51% from critics, 63% from audiences) certainly speak to that.
If you’ll indulge me, though, Prime has teed up an Italian spinoff of the franchise, titled Citadel: Diana, that’s set for an October release — and I’m here to declare that it’s absolutely worth checking out, for two major reasons.
First, Citadel: Diana was produced by Cattleya, the Italian film and TV production company behind not just one of the greatest mafia dramas of all time but one of the greatest TV dramas, period, of all time (Gomorrah). For those of you, like me, who loved that super-violent yet addictive five-season series based on the work of journalist Roberto Saviano, the involvement of Cattleya in the Citadel spinoff coming on October 10 ought to represent an automatic stamp of approval in terms of quality. Cattleya, by the way, is also in the process of launching a Gomorrah prequel series.
More importantly, a second reason why Citadel: Diana will be worth your time has to do with its lead actress: Matilda de Angelis.
She’s a fantastic, mesmerizing actress and leading lady, and she’s never been less than utterly compelling in every project she’s chosen so far. And I’m not simply talking about her visuals here. Put it this way: She could stand in silence, mute as a brick wall, and emote more from just her eyes alone than you’d get from the complete performance of many of what passes for acting talent in the US. As an aside: De Angelis also has a role in the upcoming feature film Across the River and into the Trees, based on the Ernest Hemingway novel (check her out in the trailer here).
For those of you would still might have qualms about trying a spinoff of a show you didn’t like, meanwhile, I can only add: Given that Citadel: Diana is set in Italy, there’s also a futuristic-meets-Old World vibe to the production, which is to say it adds the kind of visuals that I really think will make you feel like you’re watching a totally new series. And speaking of the series itself, Prime Video explains about the plot that it’s set in Milan in 2030, years after the independent global spy agency Citadel has been destroyed by the enemy syndicate Manticore.
“Since then, Diana Cavalieri (Matilda De Angelis), an undercover Citadel agent, is alone, trapped behind enemy lines as a mole in Manticore. When she finally sees a way out and the chance to disappear forever, the only way to do so is trusting the most unexpected ally, Edo Zani (Lorenzo Cervasio), the heir of Manticore Italy and son of the head of the Italian organization, Ettore Zani (Maurizio Lombardi), who’s vying for leadership against the other European families.”
I’m definitely giving this one a shot. There is some significant talent behind this Prime Video release, starting with De Angelis herself.
