New Delhi: Prime Video on Tuesday confirmed the lead talent of the Indian instalment of the Citadel universe, the first of its kind global-event series from Prime Video and the Russo Brothers’ AGBO.

The untitled Citadel series based out of India will be led by renowned creator duo Raj & DK (Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK), who are the showrunners, directors of the series, and will feature Varun Dhawan in the lead role.

As previously announced, Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas will star in the first-to-launch series within the Citadel universe, which comes from the Russo Brothers’ AGBO along with David Weil and is set to premiere in 2023.

Alongside Richard and Priyanka, the first-to-launch Citadel series will also feature Stanley Tucci. Additional local-language Citadel productions are also in the works, including an Italian Original series starring Matilda De Angelis.

“The Citadel universe from the Russo Brothers’ AGBO is a truly innovative and ambitious approach to storytelling, and we are super excited to begin production on the Indian chapter. With this project, we are building on our mission of borderless entertainment to produce local Original content that can be enjoyed by audiences across the world. Citadel is a truly global franchise, with local productions, across countries, that build back to an inter-connected storyline—a first-of-its-kind innovation in storytelling,” said Gaurav Gandhi, vice president, Prime Video India.

“We are delighted to have Varun play the lead in this super exciting Indian installment of the franchise. With Raj and DK at the helm of creating this action-packed spy series, and Varun playing the lead, we believe the Citadel India chapter will not just raise the bar in terms of Original productions in India, it will also bring global attention to India’s incredible pool of creators and talent. We can’t wait to share it with our audience in India and around the world,” added Gandhi.

“The Indian installment of the distinctive and scintillating Citadel universe is amongst our most exciting projects, and collaborating with the Russo Brothers’ AGBO has truly been a thrilling opportunity. Having Varun make his streaming debut and headline this Prime Video series is a matter of great pride for us,” said Aparna Purohit, head of India originals, Prime Video.

“After the phenomenal success of The Family Man, working with Raj & DK on this project feels like we’re further cementing our creative partnership. We are certain that with this series, we will push the envelope several notches higher and present a truly immersive experience to our viewers,” added Aparna.

“We are thrilled to see yet another production within the Citadel universe commencing, this time in India. We, and all of AGBO, consider it an honor to be collaborating with filmmakers as inspiring as DK and Raj, who bring a unique vision, style, and tone to our collection of global series. And, we can’t wait to see how this remarkable cast brings their and Sita’s imaginative characters to life,” said executive producers, Anthony and Joe Russo.

“We are super excited to be a part of this global event series envisioned by the Russo Brothers, two very inspiring filmmakers and creators; along with our long-time partners Prime Video! We are especially looking forward to working with the versatile and dynamic Varun,” said creator duo Raj & DK.

“We've worked very hard collaborating with the other international teams to bring a unique interwoven universe to our audiences. Along with a sparkling cast, we hope to push the boundaries of storytelling with Citadel India. Stay tuned for the next announcement,” added Raj & DK.

Speaking on his streaming debut, Varun said, “Prime Video is like home to me, and I am thrilled to begin this journey in the streaming space with them. Citadel is an exceptionally ambitious and exciting franchise, and to be part of this magnificent universe, conceptualised by the Russo Brothers’ AGBO and Jennifer Salke, is a landmark moment in my career. I have been a big fan of their work and I am beyond thrilled to be a part of this project, and can’t wait to start shooting it. The storyline of the Indian Citadel chapter is fantastic, and when you have creators like Raj & DK on board, one can be certain that a spectacle is in the making.”

Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK under their banner D2R Films will also serve as executive producers. The series is produced by D2R Films, and Amazon Studios, with AGBO’s Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Mike Larocca, Angela Russo-Otstot, Scott Nemes, and David Weil overseeing production on the Indian Original and all series within the global Citadel universe.

Written by Sita R Menon along with Raj & DK, the local Original spy series, which starts filming in January 2023.