Shōgun is finally getting the adaptation it deserves on FX – and this is what we know about it.
Regarding some of the best television shows, many hail directly from FX. One that comes to mind is the Ryan Murphy-created American Horror Story. Another one that I could think of is Atlanta, which was created by Donald Glover and had its finale in 2022. Even in 2023, FX (on Hulu) has created another great show called The Bear, which earned a Season 3 renewal and became a significant hit.
Now another new series is coming to the widespread network called Shōgun. Based on the famous novel by James Clavell, the show is coming to the network soon. But who is going to star in this show? And what could it possibly be about if you're unfamiliar with the book?
For all your questions, here is what we know so far about Shōgun.
What Is The Shōgun Premiere Date?
When writing this in December 2023, Variety confirmed that Shōgun will premiere on February 27th, 2024. The series will debut its first two episodes on that day. After that, new episodes will drop each week on Hulu, while FX will also broadcast new episodes on their channel.
February of 2024 has a decent amount of shows coming back during that time as part of the 2024 TV schedule. From the third season of the hit Gordon Ramsay FOX series, Next Level Chef, to the third season of Abbott Elementary to even the premiere of the live-action series of Avatar: The Last Airbender, February is packed to the brim.
Now, Shōgun will be joining those ranks at the very tail end. It almost feels like there will be too much TV to catch up on, but at least February will be packed.
Hiroyuki Sanada And Cosmo Jarvis Star
If you were wondering who would star in Shōgun, we have you covered. Deadline reported in May 2021 that Hiroyuki Sanada and Cosmo Jarvis were set to star as the series' main characters. Sanada will play Yoshii Toranaga, and Jarvis will play John Blackthorne.
Sanada is a famous Japanese actor and martial artist who has appeared in various movies in Hollywood. Some of the most known films you might have seen him include Bullet Train, Ring, 47 Ronin, Army of the Dead, and even Avengers: Endgame. He also had a recurring role on the HBO series Westworld.
Jarvis has also appeared in a variety of movies before, including Annihilation, Funny Fact, Persuasion, The Marker, and more. He also appeared in television shows such as Humans, Peaky Blinders, the Max original show, Raised by Wolves, and more.
As the two leads, these two will give some unique and captivating performances – and I feel we'll be enjoying it like no other soon enough.
Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Fumi Nikaido, And More Will Co-Star
There are plenty of great ensemble casts that we have to talk about, and Shōgun will undoubtedly be one of them. The cast is enormous, so let's get into it.
While Sanada and Jarvis are the two male co-leads, Deadline reported in September 2021 that Anna Sawai would play the female co-lead, Lady Mariko. The character is the daughter of a samurai traitor who works with Toranaga to find a way to avenge her father's death.
Anna Sawai originally hails from New Zealand, and her film resume is a bit short so far, considering she's only been acting for about a decade. But some of her credits are incredible. Not only did she have a series regular role on one of the best Apple TV+ original shows, Pachinko, but she also has a lead role in the ongoing series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, which has some impressive CGI-made monsters that look almost too real.
She also appeared in the TV series Girl/Haji, and has had appearances in the movies Ninja Assassin and F9. Another lead role in a show like Shōgun will only round out her resume even more.
Aside from Sawai, the rest of the ensemble cast was announced the day Deadline confirmed her casting. Joining Sawai, Sanada and Jarvis in Shōgun are Tadanobu Asano, Takehiro Hira, Ako, Moeka Hoshi, Yasunari Takeshima, Toshi Toda, Yuka Kouri, Shinnosuke Abe, Hiro Kanagawa, Fumi Nikaido, Nestor Carbonell, Tokuma Nishioka, Yuki Kura, Tommy Bastow, Yoriko Doguchi and Hiroto Kanai.
Their characters are currently unknown to us but talk about a cast list with so many names. The main three characters are the ones we will be following, but it's still incredible to see so many names for one show.
Check Out The Trailer For Shōgun
If this show interests you, then you must check out the trailer above for Shōgun. It features our main three stars and the story we will set out on. It also features excellent martial arts, incredible visuals, and a shipwrecked boat that looks like it had seen much better days. I'm already excited about watching this show just from this little sneak peek.
Shōgun Is Based On The James Clavell Novel Of The Same Name
Alright, so you know what the cast is, but what exactly is this show all about? What is the premise of Shōgun?
Fear not, because we have the premise for those unfamiliar with the James Clavell novel. When Shōgun was announced for FX from Deadline in 2018, we were given a basic premise of the novel.
The novel is set way back in feudal Japan, and Shōgun mainly follows three separate stories: one of a sailor shipwrecked in Japan, another of a powerful daimyo who is facing down his political rivals, and a woman with a dishonored family who is trying to restore honor to her name.
When the show’s premiere date was announced, an official synopsis came with it:
When a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village, its English pilot, John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), comes bearing secrets that could help Toranaga tip the scales of power and devastate the formidable influence of Blackthorne's own enemies — the Jesuit priests and Portuguese merchants. Toranaga's and Blackthorne's fates become inextricably tied to their translator, Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai), a mysterious Christian noblewoman and the last of a disgraced line. While serving her lord amidst this fraught political landscape, Mariko must reconcile her newfound companionship with Blackthorne, her commitment to the faith that saved her and her duty to her late father.
How can you not be interested in this dramatic period piece?
Shōgun Is Ten Episodes Long
The last thing we know about Shōgun is that the series will only be ten episodes long, according to the Deadline article about the series' announcement. I'm not sure if this means we'll get a second season, but at least for the first, we will only have ten episodes – which pretty much lines up with most dramatic TV shows nowadays.
With Shōgun not far from now, we can only count the days until we experience this feudal Japan world. Can February 2024 get her even quicker?
