FX Orders 2 More Seasons of Its Epic Series Shōgun

Let the rumors be true — FX has renewed Shōgun, the premium cabler's most watched series ever (based on global hours), for additional seasons. FX and Hulu are reteaming with the Estate of James Clavell for two additional seasons of the sweeping drama series, easily one of the best shows of 2024. Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo, series co-creators, EPs, and writers, are on board once more along with EP Michaela Clavell, and series star and producer Hiroyuki Sanada. The writers’ room is being assembled and will begin this summer, though there's no word yet on a production schedule.

Today's official announcement via press release comes just days after reports leaked that FX was mulling an expansion of the series, which was also right around the time that the network submitted Shōgun in the Emmys' drama categories. As The Hollywood Reporter noted, Sanada, who plays Yoshii Toranaga in the series, had signed an "if-come deal," which certainly helped keep the door open for more stories. At least now, no one will cry category fraud at the Emmys. But this certainly makes the Outstanding Drama race more interesting now, and the limited series one less of a potential knock-down, drag-out fight.

Though this news is hardly surprising, it's definitely more than welcome. Few series out this year (or in recent memory) have been as transportive as Shōgun, which quickly established just how vital its retelling was. As Laura Sirikul wrote in her review for Primetimer, "New adaptations of previously adapted works must find innovative ways to be different and stand out, which FX’s Shōgun does. The writers give more depth to each of the characters, including ones that were one-dimensional in both the novel and the 1980s series."

Danette Chavez is the Editor-in-Chief of Primetimer and its biggest fan of puns.