Shogun is not over yet. The FX/Hulu historical drama is based on the same-named 1975 book by James Clavell. It takes place in Japan in the 17th century and follows the political goals of three characters whose lives become intertwined.
There is Lord Yoshi Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada), a powerful leader whose political opponents are questioning his loyalty to the realm’s shogun, who is like a ruler or king. At the same time, English sailor John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) gets lost at sea and ends up in the middle of all of Toranaga’s problems. Lady Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai), Blackthorne’s translator and a great help to Toranaga, is also in the mix.
Shogun takes fans through a whirlwind of drama and fight as the three deal with rising political tensions. There are signs that Toranaga and Blackthorne’s time together is just beginning by the end of the first book, even though they have lost Mariko.
Off-screen, the show has been praised by critics. On September 8, 2024, it won 14 of its 16 Creative Arts Emmy Awards in a variety of categories, such as editing, stunts, and outfits. After seeing Blackthorne as a grandfather in the season 1 end and hearing good things about him in Hollywood, fans only have one question: Will there be a Shogun season 2?
Here’s everything you need to know about Shogun season 2, from the returned cast to the show’s future plot.
How did the first season of Shogun wrap up?
The first season of Shogun ended on a huge cliffhanger after a crazy ride of events. In Osaka, the realm’s council, which is now led by Toranaga’s foe Ishido Kazunari (Takehiro Hira), declares war on Toranaga and quickly gets men ready to fight him.
Ishido thinks that the young shogun heir and his mother, Ochiba-no-kata (Fumi Nikaido), are on his side. He thinks that he can easily win as long as the heir’s flags fly next to his own.
Blackthorne gets to Ajiro at the same time and finds that an enemy has sunk his ship. Since there might be a spy among them, Toranaga starts a cruel hunt to find the person responsible. This makes Blackthorne angry because he thinks his boss is going too far.
As the real nature of Toranaga’s plan slowly starts to fall apart, things aren’t always what they seem to be.
Kashigi Yabushige (Tadanobu Asano), one of his subjects, is sentenced to seppuku, a traditional suicide, for treason and having a secret alliance with Ishido. To honour his friend, Toranaga has one last talk with him about what he’s been planning all along.
It turns out that Mariko and Toranaga planned her death in Osaka to get Ochiba to side with them. She dies in the second-to-last episode of the show.
Ishido will have to drop his flags and end the war because Ochiba has secretly told Toranaga that she and the heir will not be joining Ishido in the upcoming fight. He hopes that this will bring peace to the realm.
Toranaga also said that he was the one who told Blackthrone’s ship to sink so that he would stay in Japan and help him build a fleet.
At the end of Shogun’s climax, Toranaga is seen watching over Blackthorne as he starts to fix up his ship. The future of the world and the characters’ lives within it are still unknown.
What are the chances of Shogun Season 2 happening?
Yes, Shogun will be back for a second season.
The first season of Shogun was a big hit, so FX and Hulu ordered a second and third season in May 2024, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
It was said before the news that the show would go on past its original 10 episodes and compete in the 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards in the drama categories instead of the limited series parts. Shogun is currently in the running for 25 awards.
In June 2024, co-creators Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo told The Hollywood Reporter that work on the show had already started.
Kondo said that Shogun season 2 is a time of “creative chaos” as they try to figure out what to do next with the Shogun characters.
“It’s been both exciting and nerve-wracking because, well, this is uncharted territory,” she said about how season 1 of Shogun covered the whole book by Clavell. “We don’t have a plan; we only have history.”
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What will the Storyline of Shogun Season 2 Entail?
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, co-creator Marks suggested that Shogun season 2 is likely to have a “darker” tone than season 1.
He said, “There are many great conspiracy theories in history.” “A lot of different theories about, ‘Oh, it was said that this happened, but this really happened,’ and we’ve loved exploring those darker corners.”
Marks also said, “Part two is a bit darker than most second chapters.”
In season 1, Shogun mostly stuck to what was in Clavell’s book, but historically, there is a lot more for the show to draw from. So far, the show has done a great job of finding a good mix between fact and fantasy. Shogun Season 2 will probably continue to use fact to build a bigger, more dramatic story.
The character of Toranaga is based on the real-life Japanese leader Tokugawa Ieyasu. He set up the Tokugawa shogunate, which united Japan and ran the country’s government from 1603 to 1868.
Ieyasu’s rough rise to power and the start of his rule, which marked the beginning of Japan’s Edo period, could be dramatized in Shogun Season 2. This probably means that in Shogun season 2, Toranaga will have more power and his shogunate will be recognized as legitimate. His base will be Edo, which is now Tokyo.
William Adams, who was Blackthrone’s real-life influence, was an advisor to Ieyasu until his death in 1620. Much like Blackthrone’s connection with Toranaga in Shogun, Adams’ story will likely be used in season 2.
It’s not clear how true to Adams’ story the show will be, though, since the last episode of season 1 showed Blackthorne going back to England and having grandkids in the future.
Which Actors are joining the Cast of Shogun Season 2?
Of the main cast of Shogun’s first season, Hiroyuki Sanada is the only one who has been guaranteed to return so far. Reports from Deadline say that he agreed to play Lord Yoshi Toranaga again just days before the Shogun season 2 was revealed.
In June 2024, Sanada, who also produced the first 10 episodes, talked to The Hollywood Reporter about where Shogun season 2 might go. He said, “We don’t have James Clavell’s novel anymore, but we learned his spirit and the taste of storytelling.” I think all of his DNA is in our bodies.
It’s not as clear what will happen with Cosmo Jarvis, Shogun’s second main character, since Blackthorne’s return to the show hasn’t been confirmed yet. In an interview with Vanity Fair in April 2024, the actor talked about how hard it was to leave the character behind. He said, “Blackthorne totally preoccupied and consumed me, and had for so long.”
“The last shot was horrible because I guess that was the time when Blackthorne and all of these adventures had to end.” He also said, “It was just kind of sad.” “I guess it was kind of nice, but now you’re just another actor without a job, and you don’t know what’s going to happen next.”
Anne Sawai’s character Mariko died in Shogun’s second-to-last episode, so it’s possible that she won’t be back on the show.
In June 2024, Sawai told The Hollywood Reporter, “They can do that.” She was asked if her character might come back for Shogun season 2 through flashbacks. But I’m not sure if it’s important. I don’t want them to write something just to include her; that would feel forced.
She would still like to be back on set, but in a different way. “I only want to watch along with everyone else.” Sawai laughed, “I told them I’d be happy to go to set and do things like walk the dogs or be with the horses. That’s my next job.”
Rumors Surrounding the Release Date of Shogun Season 2:
If you want to know when season 2 of “Shogun” will come out, you should know that the writers’ room is already busy coming up with plans for it. The star and co-producer of the show, Hiroyuki Sanada, said on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in August 2024 that the writers’ room has opened up (h/t MovieWeb), and that showrunners Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo are in charge of it.
This meeting to come up with ideas is important because we can’t use any more sources from the James Clavell historical fiction book. The show was meant to be a limited series, and they did the whole book in one season, which is exactly what they did.
John Landgraf, Chairman of FX Content and FX Productions, said, “Scripts are coming in, outlines are coming in, and we’re trying to figure out where we’re going to shoot it.” This was after season 1 won a record 18 Emmys. He also said that season 2 might be the last season of the show, but he wouldn’t mind a third season. In fact, he said that they would probably need three seasons to tell the story they want to tell.
We think that the second season of “Shogun” won’t come out until at least 2025. If you add up the costs of writing, acting, and making the show, FX and Hulu might not be able to make it happen in 2025. Sanada told The Hollywood Reporter, “Hopefully sometime next year [2025], we can start shooting.” This pretty much confirms what was said.
What is the forecast for the number of seasons of Shogun?
Shogun is set to run for three seasons.
The show was only supposed to have three seasons at first, but because of how well the first season did, two more were ordered. There don’t seem to be any plans for a fourth season yet.
That’s what Marks told The Hollywood Reporter: “The third season is really an ending.” We know where it begins and ends, and we know who is travelling with it.
He then said, “Right now we’re just focusing on part two to make sure we can get there.”
Where to watch and stream Shogun online?
You can watch the first season of Shogun on Hulu.
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