Shogun will return for a season 2 and will end with a season 3

The showrunners announce a “darker” second chapter.

Released last February on Disney+, the first season of the Japanese epic was a great success. Critically acclaimed for its cultural authenticity and compared to Game Of Thrones for his power games, Shogun received a score of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. Based on the novel by James Clavell written in 1975 and already adapted into a series in the 80s with Richard Chamberlain, Shogun was intended as a historical mini-series. In May, the showrunners announced a two-season extension – much to the delight of viewers.

Shōgun will continue: Disney Plus considers season 2 and even season 3

Set in Japan at the beginning of the 17th century, in a feudal society filled with samurai, priests and Western missionaries signs of colonization, the story follows Lord Yoshi Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) coveting the title of Shogun – that is to say general in chief of the armies. Also in this struggle for power is a European castaway named John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis). The entire season 1 corresponds to the novel. So how can we continue without this roadmap to guide us? How to create a suite from scratch?

Present at an Emmy FYC (For Your Consideration) event, the creators, Justin Marks And Rachel Kondo as well as the main actor also playing the role of producers, gave some information on this sequel:

“It's real chaos. But creative chaos, where we throw everything we have against the wall and see what sticks best. It's been exciting and also nerve-wracking, because obviously it's territory unexplored: we have no map to guide us, we only have a story.”

To be as faithful as possible and stick to the author's style, they went to Japan and visited the different filming locations planned. For Hiroyuki Sanada, there is no reason to worry: “I believe all of his DNA is in our bodies.” He added : “Maintaining quality is the most important thing to me.”

To keep only the best, the series will only have three seasons. And if the second is not yet written, the creators already know in which direction to go to close the show:

“We know where it starts, where it ends, and who will be part of the journey. But right now, we're focusing on part two to make sure we get to the point we want to get to. Part two is, like The second, darker chapters are often the same.”

No broadcast date is yet known, but the first season of Shogun remains available on Disney +.