diff --git a/unshackle/core/utilities.py b/unshackle/core/utilities.py
index 0c3b435..2936d20 100644
--- a/unshackle/core/utilities.py
+++ b/unshackle/core/utilities.py
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ def sanitize_filename(filename: str, spacer: str = ".") -> str:
     # optionally replace non-ASCII characters with ASCII equivalents
     if not config.unicode_filenames:
         filename = unidecode(filename)
+        filename = re.sub(r"\[\(+", "[", filename)
+        filename = re.sub(r"\)+\]", "]", filename)
 
     # remove or replace further characters as needed
     filename = "".join(c for c in filename if unicodedata.category(c) != "Mn")  # hidden characters
@@ -136,7 +138,7 @@ def sanitize_filename(filename: str, spacer: str = ".") -> str:
     if spacer == ".":
         filename = re.sub(r" - ", spacer, filename)  # title separators to spacer (avoids .-. pattern)
     filename = re.sub(r"[:; ]", spacer, filename)  # structural chars to (spacer)
-    filename = re.sub(r"[\\*!?¿,'\"" "()<>|$#~]", "", filename)  # not filename safe chars
+    filename = re.sub(r"[\\*!?¿,'\"" "<>|$#~]", "", filename)  # not filename safe chars
     filename = re.sub(rf"[{spacer}]{{2,}}", spacer, filename)  # remove extra neighbouring (spacer)s
 
     return filename