Some interesting developments have come out of the recent departure of Amazon executive Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios, which may involve the Russo brothers, and possibly even Kevin Feige.
Jennifer Salke fired
Thursday saw the bomb drop that Jennifer Salke had exited Amazon, with it later claimed she was fired. A report surfaced suggesting Salke was fired because of James Bond, Rings of Power, and potentially Christopher Nolan.
Citadel to blame?
Now, a new report suggests Citadel might also be to blame. The series was produced by Joe and Anthony Russo, with Joe also directing an episode. The six-episode first season had a massive $300 million budget — roughly $50 million per episode — making it one of the most expensive TV shows ever made. The problem? The viewership doesn’t justify the price tag. It also doesn’t help that Citadel hasn’t been well received by critics, with a 51% score on Rotten Tomatoes and just a 62% audience score.
Citadel faces uncertain future
As a result of Salke’s departure from Amazon, Citadel now faces an uncertain future, according to Deadline. While Season 2 is currently in the works, the two international spinoffs are still waiting on renewal decisions. The report also notes that plans for additional spinoffs — including one set in Mexico — have been put on hold, with the focus now shifted to completing the main show’s second season. Deadline further suggests that Citadel Season 3 will face major hurdles when it comes up for renewal, especially without Salke as the head of the studio.
What does this have to do with Kevin Feige?
Feige concerned
Well, it’s a similar tale to the recent rumor that Kevin Feige is now concerned about the Russos brothers directing Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.
The Electric State flops
In a similar situation, the Russos’ new Netflix movie, The Electric State, which came with an exorbitant $275 million budget, also seems to have flopped. The film didn’t get nearly as many views as the Russos’ previous films they were involved with, including The Extraction movies and The Gray Man.
The Electric State is also getting crushed by the critics with a 16% Rotten Tomatoes Score, with the fan score lukewarm at 70%.
Feige Steps In?
According to recent rumors, following The Electric State underperforming, Kevin Feige is so concerned with the Russo brothers directing Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars – both with mammoth budgets – that Feige has decided to step in to closely oversee the process, including the script, to ensure the films turn out as strong as possible.
Worth a mention is that Jeff Sneider also said the script isn’t even finished, with it sounding like they will finish it on the fly, known as the “Marvel way.”
