“Shōgun,” one of 2024’s most acclaimed series, has been renewed for two more seasons, despite the first season adapting the entirety of James Clavell’s novel. This unexpected renewal has generated considerable anticipation among fans.
At the 2025 Critics’ Choice Awards, star Hiroyuki Sanada, along with showrunners Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, shared some insights into the upcoming season. Marks revealed that the writers’ room has completed its work, with all ten episodes of the second season mapped out, including the finale. He hinted that the season will open with surprising developments. “I hope people are going to be surprised with some of the big ideas as soon as the first episode of part two,” Marks commented.
While the show has been greenlit for both a second and third season, a release date remains uncertain. Filming for the second season has yet to begin, making a late 2025 or 2026 premiere more likely.
Sanada, who won the award for Best Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Lord Toranaga, expressed his enthusiasm for the character’s journey in the upcoming season. He hopes to see Toranaga achieve his ambition of becoming Shōgun, the supreme military leader of Japan. “In Season 1, [Toranaga] didn’t become a Shōgun yet. So, I’d like to see him become the leader of Japan,” Sanada stated.
The creative team’s comments suggest that “Shōgun” season 2 will venture beyond the source material, exploring new narratives within the established historical context. While details remain scarce, the promise of unexpected plotlines and Toranaga’s rise to power are sure to keep viewers eagerly awaiting the next chapter in this epic saga.
