War may have ended in Shogun’s first season, but peace was never guaranteed. After FX’s historical epic swept the Emmys and exceeded all expectations, the network is officially moving forward with Shogun Season 2 per Deadline, abandoning its original designation as a limited series. Much like Lord Toranaga’s calculated rise to power, this next chapter won’t be drawn from James Clavell’s 1975 novel but instead marks a bold step into new territory, with original showrunners Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo returning to expand the saga, with FX calling it “a wholly original new chapter to the first season.”
Production is slated to begin in Vancouver in January 2026, and it has now been confirmed that the story picks up a full decade after the events of Season 1. Cosmo Jarvis will reprise his role as John Blackthorne, also known as Anjin, and take on a co-executive producer credit. Hiroyuki Sanada is also back as Lord Yoshii Toranaga and will now serve as an executive producer after earning widespread acclaim for his performance. The new season will once again center on the evolving bond (and ideological tension) between the English outsider and the Japanese warlord.
Season 1 ended with Toranaga consolidating power, standing on the cusp of formally assuming the title of shōgun. Blackthorne, still a stranger in a land not his own, had begun shedding his former identity to adapt and survive. But with ten years having passed, the balance between them is likely to have shifted. Blackthorne may have more to lose now, and Toranaga, more to defend.
Absent from the cast is Anna Sawai, whose portrayal of Mariko earned her an Emmy. Her death in the season’s penultimate episode was a gutting moment, yet it continues to cast a long shadow. Sawai has expressed openness to returning should the story call for it (flashbacks or dream sequences remain a possibility) but for now, she will not appear in Season 2.
Following its Emmy sweep, which included 18 wins across categories, Shogun joins a rare class of prestige television that blends rich character work with historical grandeur. Its transition from limited series to multi-season epic is as ambitious as it is risky. Yet with Jarvis and Sanada anchoring the next arc, and a decade of in-universe time to reset the board, Shogun Season 2 is poised to tell a story that may stand apart from its origins but carries forward its spirit. FX has not set a premiere date yet, though a 2027 release now looks likely.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, and anime — you name it. When she’s not reading or being a dedicated cinephile, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of Caleb from Love and Deepspace.
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