After it was reported that the show had run into creative differences after wrapping up its shoot this past December, The Hollywood Reporter now claims that the show has overshot its budget. Helmed by ‘Avengers: Endgame’ director duo, Joe and Anthony Russo, the series was reportedly set for an estimated budget of $160 million. However, multiple sources told the news outlet that the differences in vision led to the exit of half the creative team and forced the show into a round of reshoots that are proving to be very expensive.
The seven-episode series overshot its budget by around $75 million, taking the total to an estimated production cost to $250 million.
The show is now among the most expensive shows ever made, only second to ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’. According to reports, the first season of the LOTR franchise is said to cost an estimated $465 million. While the series debuted worldwide today, the makers have already announced that the show will have 5 seasons.
According to the report, Amazon Studios which is backing the series had some reservations about the early footage, which lead to creative differences between showrunner Appelbaum and the director-duo. Ultimately, the studio sided with the Russos and fired Appelbaum.
The report further stated that while the budget did hit upwards of $250 million gross, the high COVID-19 costs were not factored in when the series was initially greenlit. Nor did it account for significant tax credits for shooting in locales such as London.
Citadel is set to focus on a group of various international spies who join forces for a grand mission. The show plays an important role in flagging off multiple spinoffs, which would follow some of the individual spies as they embark on solo missions in their respective home countries.
