With only two episodes out so far on Prime Video, the streamer’s new action-romance series Citadel is already breaking records by becoming the platform’s second most popular series ever, sources have told Collider. The hit series is produced by Joe and Anthony Russo, a pair of filmmaking brothers who’ve had an enormous influence across the world of pop culture from the MCU to the small screen. For Citadel, the Russo brothers serve as executive producers.

Starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden as a pair of star-crossed lovers and deadly assassins, the series delves into an ever-twisting and turning world of espionage, romance, and action, with each episode keeping you on the edge of your seat. Madden recently told Collider that part of why he’s loved making the series is having “the Russos at the helm.” According to the actor, “They can do this better than anyone.” And if the numbers are anything to go by, Madden is absolutely correct. On top of what sources have told us, Amazon recently announced that Citadel is the number one currently streaming title on Prime Video in nearly 200 countries across the world.

The series still trails slightly behind Prime‘s Lord of the Rings series The Rings of Power, though with four more episodes to go in Season 1 and an early renewal for Season 2, it’s likely that Citadel will take the crown in no time. The series is truly unique in its global approach, with franchise installments in both Italy and India already in the works. Varun Dhawan, who plays one of the leads in the Indian series told Collider that “There is a very strong connection between us and the American series,” though we’ll have to keep watching in order to unravel those mysterious connections.

The love for the series goes both ways as Joe Russo explains that they couldn’t have achieved the show’s “cinematic scale” without the full support of Amazon. The filmmaker told Collider‘s Steve Weintraub, “That was always the intention with the show is that it would have a cinematic scale to it. And Amazon has been incredible about supporting the show and supplying the right resources, [and] infrastructure to do that.”

The Russo Brothers Tease an Explosive Finale for Citadel Season 1

The Russos are teasing a “powerful climax” for the show’s first outing. Joe Russo previously told Collider that he’s most looking forward to audiences seeing the sixth episode, which will close out Season 1 on May 26. “What’s great about the show is that it was designed like an onion, you’re peeling back the layers of it,” he explained, saying “You can’t trust anything that you see, and I think it goes to a really powerful climax.”

The Russo brothers have been on a roll lately with action hits across a variety of streamers with The Gray Man and Extraction becoming massive successes at Netflix, and having produced this year’s Best Picture winner Everything Everywhere All at Once. In addition to the second season of Citadel, and its spin-off shows, the filmmaking duo’s upcoming projects include Extraction 2 coming to Netflix this summer, and their highly anticipated adaptation of The Electric State, which is slated for a 2024 release. The project is based on the graphic novel of the same name and will star Stranger Things‘ Millie Bobby Brown, alongside a stacked cast that includes Chris Pratt, Ke Huy Quan, Stanley Tucci, and more.

You can watch the first episodes of Citadel right now on Prime Video, and new episodes will be released every Friday through the finale on May 26.

via Collider