FX’s Near-Perfect War Epic Gets Game-Changing Character Update Ahead of Season 2

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It's been close to two years since FX's Shōgun went into early development for its second and third seasons following the tremendous success of Season 1. We can confirm that the show's sophomore season is heading into production, so a premiere shouldn't be expected anytime soon. However, in anticipation, several teases have made the rounds from the show's co-creators and married couple Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, including an exciting change coming for an unexpected character.

Filming on Shōgun Season 2 starts in January 2026 in Vancouver and is set 10 years after the events of the first season. Lady Ochiba (Fumi Nikaido) is going to be a major character in the upcoming season. Ochiba was a childhood friend of Lady Mariko (Anna Sawai), who later became the mother of the late Taikō's only heir, Yaechiyo. This made her an extremely influential woman in this society. Speaking to TVInsider, co-creator Kondo shared:

“In Season 1, the role of the ballerina [Sawai] played an important role and functioned as part of the English-language side of the story. In Part 2, Ochiba’s character is placed at the center of the story.”

Shōgun's new season continues the historically inspired saga of Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) and English pilot, John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), two men from different worlds whose fates are inextricably entwined. Emmy-winner Sanada will return in Season 2 and has been bumped up to executive producer; he was a producer for Season 1. Jarvis will also reprise his role and serve as a co-executive producer. Expect more cast updates in due time.

'Shōgun' Season 2 Is Filled With "Unpredictable Surprises"

Teasing more about the war epic's upcoming chapter, co-creator and executive producer Marks mentioned that if Season 1 was "an unexpected success," then Season 2 is "an experiment in subverting expectations." Fans should expect the Tokugawa regime to still be in power, but the power balance is unstable. Marks also elaborated on the reasoning behind the ten-year gap between both seasons, saying:

“We thought that a longer period of time would allow us to focus more attention on the grieving characters. In other words, the idea was not to have the beginning of Season 2 serve as an extension of Season 1, like Episode 11, but to create a break and create the first chapter of Part 2.”

Furthermore, Shōgun Season 2 will keep viewers guessing at every turn with "unpredictable surprises," according to the EP, who added, "How can we surprise the audience from the very first episode? We discussed this thoroughly in the writers' room."

Shōgun has no return date yet, but follow Collider for future information about the historical drama.