We know some things about "Shogun" season 2: It takes place 10 years after season 1 and filming won’t start until 2026.
But we don't know who is starring alongside Hiroyuki Sanada as Lord Yoshii Toranaga and Cosmo Jarvis as John Blackthorne. At least, not officially.
Unofficially, though, one "Shogun" star might have just spilled the beans on their season 2 involvement.
In an interview with MovieWeb, show star Takehiro Hira revealed that, shockingly, they're going to be in season 2.
"It’s going to be shot next year," Hira told MovieWeb's George Edelman. "And I am going to be in it, I think, as far as I know."
That wasn't all Hira revealed, though. After dropping that surprise, unofficial casting announcement, he followed up with an absolute bombshell.
Spoilers for "Shogun" beyond this point
"And then, you know, my character, Ishido, loosely follows an actual historical figure," Hira continued. "So I know he’s going to die, but, um, I guess the creators, show runners are doing something creative to shed some light on different aspect of that character later on."
If true, Hira's comments are a massive spoiler
First of all, dropping a surprise casting announcement is a bit of a spoiler in its own right. Especially since I wasn't expecting Hira's Ishido to appear in season 2 at all (more on that in a bit).
But then, casually mentioning you're going to die in season 2 is a shocking reveal, and one I'm truly stunned Hira made.
The biggest reason I'm stunned? ... Ishido should already be dead.
As Hira correctly points out, "Shogun" follows historical events, and his character is based on a real historical figure from the Sengoku period.
But he's not the only character with a grounding in historical fact. Fan favorite Toda Marino (Anna Sawai) is also based on a historical figure, and her character's fate and the fate of Hira's Ishido should be closely intertwined.
Mariko is based on Hosokawa Gracia, and like Gracia, she died rather than being used as a political hostage, and her death was a major setback for Ishida Mitsunari, the real-life figure Hira's Ishido is based on.
In both the show and the movie, this event contributes to the defeat of Ishido/Ishida at the Battle of Sekigahara, which occurs mere months after Mariko/Gracia's death.
In real life, that battle ends with Ishido/Ishida's death, but in the show, we only see the warlord defeated, leaving his execution implied rather than explicit.
Leaving Ishido alive in general would be a surprising deviation from historical events, even for a work of historical fiction. Keeping him alive for a further 10 years would be genuinely shocking.
Hira's comments indicate that showrunners Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks have a detailed plan for Ishido in season 2, which leads me to believe his comments about Ishido returning for season 2. I'm not convinced the appearances won't ultimately be as flashbacks, but it certainly seems like Ishido will make an appearance in some form in "Shogun" season 2.
Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.
Here's what he's been watching lately:
- Tom Hardy's 'MobLand' just wrapped up with a stunning finale — and I can't wait for a season 2
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