Will there be a season 2 of “Shogun Shogun”? Possibilities revealed by producer and Hiroyuki Sanada | THE RIVER

Drama“Shogun General”The final episode was finally released on Disney Plus, marking the end of the series. This work, which has created an enthusiastic buzz around the world, is produced as a “limited series” based on the 1975 best-selling novel by James Clavell, and it is reasonable to think that it will only last for this one season. be.

However, after watching the final episode, many viewers may be disappointed, saying, “I want to see more of Toranaga’s story,” and “I don’t want it to end like this.” Additionally, the series has been a success, setting records on streaming platforms, being nominated for an Emmy Award, and creating a legion of devoted fans. Since it created such an opportunity, why not change the schedule and make a season 2?

In fact, let’s take a look at the facts to see if there is a possibility of a new season of “Shogun General” being renewed.

First, let’s start with the answers I received from producers Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo when I asked them directly just before the release. Marks has this to say about this work:The content is faithful to the original work by James Clavell, and the drama depicts the ending of the novel.explained. “I spent five years working on this work, and I had already completed the original novel, soThere are no more maps” he said.

If a second season were to be written, it would be an original script that depicts the “after” of the original story. In the drama version, Michaela, the daughter of original author James Clavell, is the executive producer while preserving her father’s legacy, so she needs to get approval from everyone including herself, and her hurdle is It’s probably expensive. “If we were to do it, how long would it take?” Marks was at a loss, and then Kondo laughed and said, “We might be dead by then.”

The two were also asked a similar question by The Hollywood Reporter, and after giving similar answers, Marks replied: “We have been producing this drama for quite some time now, because the post-production takes a lot of time. This is not a normal TV drama.(If there is a season 2) It would be strange if they weren’t promoting it like this now and are no longer in the writers’ room. We have to start filming season 2 now.”.

In a separate interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Hiroyuki Sanada, the lead actor and producer, was asked about the possibility of further stories, and he answered, “We have reached the conclusion of the novel in episode 10,” and added, “I don’t know what will happen next.” No one knows.” However, Sanada says, “We have a history, and we have actual historical facts to use as a model. Of course, we know what happened after that.It all depends on the audience’s reaction.”, hinting at the possibility of a new project based on historical facts.

However, realistically speaking, the possibility of a direct sequel to “Shogun General” being realized is almost zero.Because, as the producers say, the original story is gone. The most likely possibility is that a Hollywood studio would realize that there was great potential for a properly culturally faithful work on Japanese material, and create a new historical drama on a scale comparable to or even greater than SHOGUN Shogun. Or perhaps producing a contemporary drama. Or even if it’s not overseas, it would be nice for Japanese dramas and movies to take on the world stage with budgets comparable to those of Hollywood.

In the case of historical dramas, for “Shogun Shogun,” a 900-page instruction manual was created that summarizes the know-how and knowledge necessary for producing historical dramas, so it may be helpful. “I hope someone else, maybe a friend, needs a primer on production about feudal Japan, and then they say, ‘Here, use this book. “This will save you 11 months,” Marks said kindly.

To summarize, there are currently no reports of talks about Season 2 of “Shogun Shogun” and there seems to be no intention to do so, so the possibility of it happening is extremely low. This series should be enjoyed as much as it is. Flowers are flowers because they fall.