Shōgun star Hiroyuki Sanada has shared his hopes for Season 2 as the writers move away from the source material.
Speaking on Variety's Awards Circuit podcast, Sanada offered an update on Shōgun's return and in particular on how the writers will approach the story, having already adapted the entirety of James Clavell's 1975 novel for Season 1.
"We don't have the novel," Sanada admitted. "Freedom is there… I hope our writers will enjoy the freedom and respect the novel, of course."
FX and Hulu announced in May that additional seasons of Shōgun would be on the way while also asserting that the estate of author James Clavell will continue to be involved in the series. Reports also suggested Sanada had signed a deal to return as one of the show's producers and to reprise his role as Lord Yoshii Toranaga.
Sanada has said he is not the only cast member returning, as he hinted that half of the existing ensemble will be back for the second season and "the other half will be new characters coming in." Casting announcements will likely surface as the show inches closer to its hopeful early 2025 production start date.
While Shōgun was billed as a limited series, meaning viewers expected it to last for a single season, its overwhelming success was seemingly too difficult for FX and Hulu to deny. The historical drama received widespread critical acclaim, with IGN's review calling it a "masterpiece" that tells "a complex and beautiful tale."
Shōgun is based on real-life political events in Japan from 1600 and details the lead-up to the creation of the Tokugawa Shōgunate – an isolationist government that lasted over 250 years. But a fragile peace built on ritual and bureaucracy threatens to crack and plunge the country into a new era of bloody wars of conquest.
The 10-episode first season is available to stream on Hulu and Disney+ (if you have the Disney+ and Hulu bundle).
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on X/Twitter here.
