It was not surprising to see Shogun getting renewed for two more seasons despite originally being a limited series. The viewership and critics' acclaim in the US and Japan prompted the producers to reconsider their original plan, and they ultimately decided to expand their exploration of this world, just days after the finale. Now, after more than a year, we are excited to reveal the filming dates for the second season.
As per the official schedule, ‘Shogun’ Season 2 will begin filming on January 28, 2026, in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and will take more than eight months to wrap up filming on September 4, 2026. Seeing the duration of production, it is safe to assume that Shogun Season 2 won't be coming before mid or end of 2027. Even the first season took almost two years after the production wrap to get a premiere date on Hulu.
Since this is the second season and the audience is already waiting, it won't be ideal to take such a huge gap between seasons again. Still, even with the right amount of post-production, it is likely to take more than three years between the seasons. The filming schedule doesn't include anything related to the third season, which is already greenlit. In my opinion, it would have been way better to film the second and third seasons back-to-back. he first season was widely praised for its direction, writing, visuals, production values, cast performances, and adherence to the source material.
The second season of Shōgun is set to begin ten years after the events of the first season. It continues the historically inspired saga of Lord Yoshii Toranaga (played by Hiroyuki Sanada) and John Blackthorne (played by Cosmo Jarvis). These two characters, hailing from vastly different worlds, have fates that are indistinguishably intertwined. Kate Herron (Loki, The Last of Us, Sex Education) and Anthony Byrne (Mobland, Peaky Blinders, The Last Kingdom) have joined the second season as directors.
Apart from the two leading actors from the first season, no other actors have been confirmed. Even the fans are wondering about the new characters and the actors who will play them. Everything else has been kept under wraps. Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, creators of the series, recently completed a writers' room focused on developing a completely original new chapter for Shogun, which was an adaptation of James Clavell's bestselling novel.
Advertised as Game of Thrones in feudal Japan, Shōgun became the first Japanese-language series to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. Its first season achieved an impressive victory, winning 18 categories at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards and the 76th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards. This achievement set a new record for the most awards won in a single season of television in Emmy history. Additionally, the series garnered four Golden Globe Awards, including Best Television Series – Drama, and received acting awards for Sanada, Sawai, and Asano. Initially conceived as a miniseries, the first season premiered its first two episodes on February 27, 2024, on FX on Hulu and FX.
"Shōgun" intricately weaves the tale of two ambitious figures whose lives collide in a land steeped in mystery and tradition. John Blackthorne, a daring and adventurous English sailor, finds himself shipwrecked on the shores of Japan. As he navigates this unfamiliar world, the rich and complex Japanese culture begins to reshape his identity in profound ways. In contrast, Lord Toranaga, a shrewd and powerful daimyo, is embroiled in a web of political intrigue, constantly at odds with formidable rivals vying for supremacy. Amid this tumult, Lady Mariko emerges as a pivotal character—a woman blessed with remarkable skills but burdened by dishonorable family ties. She must navigate her own challenges to demonstrate her value and loyalty in a world where allegiances are hard-won and trust is difficult to earn.
Alongside Sanada and Jarvis, the 10-episode first season also stars Anna Sawai as Toda Mariko, Tadanobu Asano as Kashigi Yabushige, Takehiro Hira as Ishido Kazunari, Tommy Bastow as Father Martin Alvito, and Fumi Nikaido as Ochiba no Kata.
In the final episode of the first season, Mariko is buried, and the Council unanimously declares war on Toranaga following the attack on Osaka Castle. Blackthorne departs Osaka with Yabushige and Toranaga's consorts, having learned from Alvito that Mariko convinced the Church to spare his life. Upon arriving in Ajiro, they discover that the Erasmus has been destroyed, and Toranaga's men are ruthlessly hunting for suspected traitors. Yabushige is arrested and confesses to having aided Ishido. Toranaga orders Yabushige to commit seppuku the following day.
Blackthorne reunites with Fuji, who informs him that she has been relieved of her duties and plans to become a nun. The next day, Blackthorne implores Toranaga to spare Ajiro and threatens to commit seppuku himself, but Toranaga intervenes and orders the construction of a fleet of ships. Later, Toranaga confesses to Yabushige that he ordered the destruction of the Erasmus to prevent Blackthorne from leaving Japan. He explains that Mariko's death helped convince Ochiba to withdraw her support from Ishido ahead of the upcoming Battle of Sekigahara.
When Toranaga refuses to reveal the entirety of his plan, Yabushige carries out his sentence and commits seppuku. With the help of Buntaro and the villagers, Blackthorne begins efforts to salvage the Erasmus, while Toranaga watches from afar.
Read our episode-by-episode reviews and analysis of Shogun Season 1.