Shogun's surprise return: a second season on the horizon for Disney+
The series, set against the backdrop of 17th-century Japan at the brink of a civil war, has quickly captivated viewers around the globe. The creators of "Shōgun" had initially refuted producing a second season. Nevertheless, recent developments have shed new light on the matter.
"Shōgun" debuted on Disney+ on February 27 of this year. The storyline is situated in 17th-century Japan. The protagonist is an English sailor, John Blackthorne, who finds himself shipwrecked off the coast of Japan just as a civil war is about to erupt. Stranded, he ends up at the court of the influential Lord Toranaga.
Alongside Mariko (played by Anna Sawai), a Christian convert fluent in Portuguese, Blackthorne begins to navigate the ruthless and foreign laws of this distant land. Soon, he finds himself entangled in a maze of lethal political schemes.
The first season drew inspiration from James Clavell's bestselling 1975 novel, which was transformed into the now iconic historical drama "Shogun" five years later, marking its premiere.
Following the conclusion of ten remarkable episodes, speculation about a second season ran high among fans. The creators initially tempered expectations, asserting that the narrative had concluded.
"We concluded the story as it was in the book and drew a line under it. We adore the book's ending; it was one of our reasons for undertaking this project, and we finished precisely at that juncture," Justin Marks, one of the showrunners, confessed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. A different perspective on the situation now surfaces.
"Shōgun": will there be a second season?
According to Deadline, Hiroyuki Sanada, the actor portraying Lord Yoshi Toranaga, has secured a contract to return in the show's second season. The original book has no sequel so that the upcoming episodes will be based on an entirely new script.
It now appears to be only a question of when Disney will announce the commencement of the new episodes of this political thriller. Should the second season officially proceed, the studio intends to transition "Shōgun" from the limited series category to a drama series at the Emmy Awards. With the intense competition in the limited series categories in recent years, "Shōgun" could emerge as a strong contender for the "best drama series" accolade.
