Summary
Shogunseason 2 gets a new update from Hiroyuki Sanada, revealing the story timeline and a potential filming start window. Based on the historical novel by James Clavell, FX’sShogunpremiered earlier this year, chronicling a real period in Japanese history as Sanada’s Yoshii Toranaga ascends to power with the help of European John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis). After season 1 was a hit both critically and in terms of viewership,Shogunseason 2is now confirmed to be on the way.
During a recent interview withTHR, Sanada comments on where the story will go inShogunseason 2, revealing that it will take place before the “peaceful era” of Toranaga’s rule. He also shares thathe expects filming to start at some point next year, echoing a previous statement from FX boss John Landgraf. Check out Sanada’s comments below:
There are so many famous episodes in Japan. Toranaga’s strategies are like a chess game. It’s not only about fighting. Human drama is important. There will be new characters coming in, and we’re going to basically follow the real history in seasons two and three. Before the peaceful era came, there were a lot of dramatic moments.
We have a writers room, and they’re working every day. Hopefully sometime next year, we can start shooting.
Shogun Season 2 Already Faces A Key Problem
But There’s Reason To Be Optimistic About The FX Historical Drama’s Return
Clavell’s 1975Shogunnovel covers a specific period of Japanese history in the 1600s at the end of the Sengoku Period. The show, which was created by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, is a largely faithful adaptation, chronicling the back-and-forth between Toranga and other rival lords. Like the book, theShogunseason 1 finaleconcludes with Toranaga essentially having won, with the idea being that he will go on to claim the title of Shogun which, as history reveals, leads to a period of peace in Japan.
A key problem facing season 2, then, is that it has no source material to draw from other than history itself. TheShogunseason 1 reviewswere glowing from both critics and audiences, but the lack of source material for season 2 could see the sophomore outing struggle to achieve this same level of acclaim. There’s a reason, after all, that Clavell’s story begins and ends where it does, and it’s possible that real historical events won’t allow for as neat a bow to be put on the ends of seasons 2 and 3.
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That being said, theShogunseason 1 reviews are reason enough to be optimistic. Both Kondo and Marks, and all of those involved in the production, have certainly proven themselves capable telling this grand and yet intimate story, and there’s clearly a reverence here for the culture and the real history they are depicting. Many questions remain aboutShogunseason 2, but with production hopefully starting next year, audiences can probably expect the show to return in 2026.
Shogun
Cast
Shōgun, released in 2024, is set in Japan during 1600 at the onset of a significant civil war. It follows Lord Yoshii Toranaga as he battles political adversaries on the Council of Regents, while a European ship mysteriously appears in a nearby fishing village, complicating the tides of power.
