Shōgun star gives update on season 2 – reveals when shooting starts
"We don’t have any novels anymore, but it means for the writers a kind of freedom. We have history."
Fans of historical epic series Shōgun were pleasantly surprised earlier this year, when it was announced that it would be returning to Disney Plus for a surprise second, and indeed third season, despite being based on a single book and having been initially billed as a miniseries.
The first season of the show was based on the 1975 novel of the same name by James Clavell, with that story being told in full throughout the episodes. Now, producer and star Hiroyuki Sanada has explained how the renewal came about, and why he and the team decided to go ahead and tell further stories.
He told Deadline: "I never thought about season 2, because we used the novel in season 1 already. So, I accepted it as a miniseries, of course. And also, as an actor, I thought, 'I’ve done my best. Done.' But, as a producer, keeping this platform for the Japanese crew and cast for the next generation, it’s a very important thing.
"And, when I started living in LA 20 years ago, one of my missions was, I felt some big wall between East and West at that time. So, in our generation, I want to break this wall, and then create the bridge for the next generation.
"That’s my mission. And now, we’ve got this big success, and a great opportunity to create more seasons. Why would I stop? Only in my opinion as an actor? No, no, no, no. 'Producer me' taught 'actor me', 'You should continue do it for the next generation, of course'. And then that’s why I decided to keep this opportunity for season 2 and 3."
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Sanada continued: "And it’s a great opportunity for the young actors and crew. So, we don’t have any novels anymore, but it means for the writers a kind of freedom. We have history. We have real models, and we know what happened. So many episodes are there in the history.
"So, I hope the writers will enjoy that freedom. These kind of things are already in our DNA, I believe. So, with respect for [Clavell], his style, they create original stories freely. I’m so curious, and I cannot wait to read the first draft from them."
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The star also revealed that the plan is to start shooting on season 2 "sometime next year", with the writers' room already running and aiming to start filming in summer 2025.
Before the series was officially renewed, co-creator Justin Marks said he would be "open" to a season 2, "if we could find a story".
However, he added at the time: "But I don’t think that anyone ever wants to be out over their skis without a roadmap and everything. And it’s also just about, do people want more of it?"
All 10 episodes of Shōgun season 1 are available to watch on Disney Plus now. You can sign up to Disney Plus for £4.99 a month or £79.90 a year now.
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