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‘Shōgun’ Star Hiroyuki Sanada Inks Deal To Return For Season 2

ManaByte

Gold Member

Hiroyuki Sanada, star and producer of FX‘s limited series Shōgun, has closed a deal to return as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, sources tell Deadline. Securing Sanada, whose character’s journey to become shōgun and lead Japan to an era of peace was chronicled in the 10-episode adaptation of James Clavell’s novel, has been considered crucial to any plan to extend Shogun beyond its original installment.

Other elements are still being worked out and deals are being finalized as part of an effort by FX to take Shogun to a second season in light of the big commercial and critical success of the limited series. The outcome of the effort would determine whether Shōgun would be considered a limited or drama series going forward, which could have major ramifications on the 2024 Emmy race, with the timing of the decision tied to the deadline for Emmy submissions.

So the second season will be original stuff not covered in the book.
 
Risky and stupid and might ruin a perfectly great mini-series.
In the very end, where

Toranaga's steps to his plan are explained with a montage

Is that fleshed out in the book? Also, since this is based from a real figure in history, could they use that history to draw from for the story in season 2?
 

Kurotri

Member
Torn on this. The series should stay as is because it was fantastic all around and should be remembered as such. After all that talk about not doing a season 2 because there's no actual material, having them do another season is a too-obvious case of chasing money. At the same time, it was Sanada that poured his heart and soul into this and made it what it was. If he thinks another season could work, I'll atleast keep an eye out and see what he can do.
 
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Is that fleshed out in the book? Also, since this is based from a real figure in history, could they use that history to draw from for the story in season 2?

As far as I remember that war lasted 3 years or so. They might have a lot of writing material, but I do not trust writers these days to make something as complex and intricate as the original.
 

jason10mm

Gold Member
Awesome, there is an EXCELLENT historically accurate documentary they could base season 2 on....

ASUZvGX.jpeg
 

ManaByte

Gold Member
Awesome, there is an EXCELLENT historically accurate documentary they could base season 2 on....

ASUZvGX.jpeg
Either you’ve never seen that movie or you didn’t understand that Tom Cruise isn’t the title character.

And that was based on actual historical figures just like Shogun is.
 

jason10mm

Gold Member
Either you’ve never seen that movie or you didn’t understand that Tom Cruise isn’t the title character.

And that was based on actual historical figures just like Shogun is.
I said it was a documentary, didn't I?

Question though about virtually every Japanese movie, why are the homes so spartan? Virtually EVERY samurai film has those rice paper sliding walls with almost entirely empty rooms, maybe a sleeping mat or "dining area". No clothes, storage, nick-knacks, tools, dishes, food, laundry....nothing. So is the implication all those rooms are just closed off elsewhere or is it a deliberate aesthetic to have such a Marie Kondo look?

Anyway, if you told me a 95% japanese language samurai epic would be on American TV AND get a second season, I'da slapped you silly. But here we are. Gotta get back to Ghosts of Tushima....
 

NecrosaroIII

Ask me about my terrible takes on Star Trek characters
As far as I remember that war lasted 3 years or so. They might have a lot of writing material, but I do not trust writers these days to make something as complex and intricate as the original.
Even though the war was 3 years, it pretty much was a done deal after Sekigahara. It was just things playing itself out to its end conclusion. The writing was on the walls.

I'm not optimistic. With no novel to use as a backbone, and history itself mellowing out, they'd have to make up a lot.
 

Trilobit

Member
I am extremely doubtful of a season 2. I have no hopes of it being as tight as season 1. If the author of the book would have been alive and part of the writing staff then maaaybe, but now? No. I have watched too many shows that have wonderfully told stories in their first season, but fall apart completely in the following ones. Just to name a few: Westworld, Legion, The Flash, Heroes.

When the first season is too good to be true and unless it's an HBO production or comedy show, the downward trajectory is imminent. I often see how much love and thought that has been put into the script of the first season, perhaps for many years, it has a style and feel that is fresh and somewhat ground-breaking and then the next seasons are scribbled together in less than a year, possibly with the original writer and creator moving on to other stuff and so the soul is nowhere to be found with characters that do uncharacteristic stuff and plot lines that lead nowhere interesting.

I have zero hopes that it will be good. They should do another book instead. Let Shogun stay as a miniseries and a masterpiece.

Edit: Imagine the writing staff being happy that they can now insert their woke stuff into it. Or make Toranaga weirdly emotional and stupid just to move the plot forward. :|
 
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