Production is now underway on ‘Shōgun’ Season 2, and Disney+ has announced five more cast members joining the Emmy-winning historical drama as the next chapter moves forward in Vancouver.
New additions for the second season are Risei Kukihara, Ryô Satô, Seishiro Nishida, Mantaro Koichi and Takashi Yamaguchi, who will play Gabriel, Rin, Jōshin, Saitō and Kanō respectively. They join the previously announced returning and new cast, including Hiroyuki Sanada (John Wick: Chapter 4), Cosmo Jarvis (Persuasion), Fumi Nikaidô (Eye Love You), Ren Meguro (Trillion Game), Asami Mizukawa (Follow the Light), Shinnosuke Abe (Godzilla Minus One), Hiroto Kanai (House of Ninjas), Masataka Kubota (First Love), Sho Kaneta (Tokyo Vice), Yûko Miyamoto (Soredemo Yoru wa Akeru), Yuka Kouri (The Honest Realtor), Tommy Bastow (The Crossing), Jun Kunimura (Tokyo Vice), Yoriko Dôguchi (The Naked Director), Eita Okuno (The Vulture), and Takaaki Enoki (The Days).
The second season is set more than a decade after the events of the first run and will continue the historically inspired story of two men from very different worlds whose lives remain closely linked. That likely means ‘Shōgun’ will be expanding well beyond James Clavell’s original novel once again, following the huge success of the first season.
Disney+ is clearly treating ‘Shōgun’ as one of its biggest prestige drama properties. The first season became a major awards juggernaut, landing 18 Emmy Awards and setting the record for the most Emmys won by a series in a single season. It also marked a huge moment for FX, becoming the broadcaster’s first series to win Outstanding Drama Series.
The casting additions are a mix of fresh faces and experienced Japanese performers. Risei Kukihara joins in what is described as his first major role, while Ryô Satô brings credits across television, film and theatre, including Martin Scorsese’s Silence. Seishiro Nishida has a long screen career stretching back to the early 1990s, Mantaro Koichi is a former member of the well-known Japanese theatre company M.O.P., and Takashi Yamaguchi arrives with extensive film and TV credits including The Last Samurai, Letters from Iwo Jima, Pachinko and Accused.
Behind the scenes, Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks continue as creators and executive producers, alongside Michaela Clavell, Edward L. McDonnell, Michael De Luca, and Hiroyuki Sanada himself. Casting for the new season is once again handled by Laura Schiff and Kei Kawamura, whose work on season one won the Emmy for Outstanding Casting in a Drama Series.
With filming now active in Vancouver and more cast announcements arriving, it looks like ‘Shōgun’ is properly ramping up for its return, even if Disney+ is still keeping plenty of details under wraps.
‘Shōgun’ Season 2 does not yet have a premiere date but will air on Disney+ in the UK. If you want to keep track of this or any other shows, you can add them via our Never Miss system, and you’ll be notified when it gets a UK premiere date. Visit Never Miss.
Login to Geektown