Shogun was released as a miniseries. The 10 episodes adapted the entire novel by James Clavell and, as the producers indicated, it had already been enough work to transfer this epic and mammoth story to the screen. The production effort had been brutal. But, now that its broadcast has ended amid cheers from critics and the public, his mind has changed: it will have a second season and partly for an hidden reason.
The renewal, according to Deadline, is possible thanks to the agreement reached by FX and Hiroyuki Sanada, the Japanese star who plays Yoshii Toranaga, one of the three main characters, and who is also executive producer of the project. Based on the character, one can continue exploring the codes of Japan at the beginning of the 17th century, where Toranaga tried to overcome palace conspiracies to hold power and establish a period of peace in the empire.
The agreement is not going unnoticed in the United States television industry. With the decision to produce more episodes, even if more deals remain to be struck with key figures on the team, it makes more sense than ever for Shogun to be submitted to the Emmy Awards as a drama series instead of a limited series, where it was initially assumed it would be. compete. But, seeing the competitive level of this season, FX, which is owned by Disney, believes it has a chance to emerge as the winner in the premier category.
This drift is interesting. Productions that have aired their seasons between June 2023 and May of this year compete in the 2024 Emmy Awards. Due to the delays in the production of fiction due to the strikes of scriptwriters and actors that paralyzed Hollywood between May and October, forcing producers to close sets and have to make bobbin lace to start filming again with the talent. , many series fell off the calendar.
Right now, there is no heavyweight in the competition for best drama. The Crown, a former winner, had a final season battered by critics and specialists predict that The Morning Show, The Golden Age or Slow Horses could enter the nominations as favorites, which until now have never been great contenders, with other proposals such as Mr and Mrs Smith, The curse or Fallout in conversation. None of them seem like an undisputed winner.
On the other hand, Shogun has all the elements. Disney, a platform with a high market penetration rate, warns that it has been a success with the public. Reviews have been very enthusiastic, highlighting the production values, the acting work of Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai, the sense of epic and the cultural representation of Japan. And, looking at the competition, it could perfectly win the jackpot: in the technical categories, at the moment, it has no rival.
The renewal, therefore, comes at the right time: this week the deadline to submit productions in a given category ends and, at the media level, a victory as a drama has more weight than as a miniseries. Will the move turn out well for this Shogun who has more future ahead of him?
