© Disney+
This is undoubtedly one of the best series broadcast in 2024. While the last episode of season 1 of Shogun was broadcast this week on Disney+, viewers are wondering if we will be entitled to a sequel. The Hollywood Reporter had also asked Hiroyuki Sanada the question directly. The latter plays the main role and acts as producer of this fiction.
Hiroyuki Sanada is not against
The Japanese star was quite open: “No one knows what will happen next. But we have history, real models of history, and we know clearly what happened. Then yes. It all depends on the reaction of the public”.
As for the reception of the spectators, the feedback is very positive, even if we do not have precise audience scores which are always scrutinized by the entertainment giants.
This week, our American colleagues took advantage of an interview with Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo, the two creators of Shogun, to address this subject of a possible sequel. If the latter seems complicated, the two screenwriters have clearly not closed the door.
Justin Marks explains thus:
I don't know. (…) I think if we had a story, if we could find a story, we would be open. But I don't think anyone wants to start up again without a road map and everything else. It's also about whether people want more. (…) But it is not only a question of surpassing the book, but also of matching the roadmap established by Clavell (James Clavell, the author of the novel who died in 1994 Editor’s note). I don't know if it's possible. I don't know if Clavell could have done it either. That's probably why he moved on to other books, isn't it?? He knew what he did. Yes, that's a difficult question.
A possible Shogun anthology?
We must specify here that James Clavell continued the Shogun cycle after a first novel. But it's an anthology called “Asian Saga”. In these five books, the writer takes the reader to Japan, Hong Kong, or even Iran in different eras.
According to Justin Marks, the adaptation of these writings would be quite delicate, but would look good. He also underlines:
It's about Hong Kong in the early days, a totally different world (…) It brings out new living characters who stand 75,000 feet high (22km Editor's note) d’ one shot. And I think if you look at Shogun, that's part of what Clavell did. We were given these characters who were really very colorful and accessible, which is a magic that's difficult to conjure as a novelist and as a writer.
We cannot really know what awaits us in the future. One thing is certain, FX has a great success with Shogun, and it could be tempted to dig a little deeper into this furrow. What do you think about the idea of a sequel to this series? Let us know in the comments.
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