Jerry London, the director of 1980's nine-hour miniseries Shogun, has voiced his criticisms of the recent 2024 FX adaptation, claiming that it's "not entertaining" for an American audience and "difficult" to understand.
"It’s completely different from the one I did," London told The Hollywood Reporter, pointing to the renewed focus on the intricacies of Japan's complex political system in the 17th Century, one filled with warlords and regents amid the spread of Catholicism and the arrival of sailor John Blackthorne (played in the FX version by Cosmo Jarvis).
"Mine was based on the love story of Shogun between Blackthorne and Mariko, and this new one is based on Japanese history, and it's more about Toranaga, who was the Shogun. It's very technical and very difficult for an American audience to get their grips into it," London said.
He continued, "I've talked to many people that have watched it, and they said, 'I had to turn it off because I don't understand it.' So the filmmakers of the new one really didn't care about the American audience."
2024's Shogun, starring Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, and Anna Sawai, adapted James Clavell's seminal 1975 novel, which revolved around Blackthorne's ascent through Japanese culture and the political tug-of-war between daimyos and dissidents alike. It received critical acclaim, as well as becoming the most awarded single season of television in Emmys history with wins in 18 categories.
Shogun's adaptation may have wrapped up, but a second season – which goes beyond the source material – is on the way.
As recently as January, Sanada – who plays Lord Toranaga – told ExtraTV that work is underway in the writers' room and that filming could begin later this year. Though we expect one person won't be tuning in to find out what happens next.
Shogun is streaming on Hulu in the US and on Disney Plus elsewhere, though you may need to update your parental control settings to access the historical drama. For more, check out our guide to new TV shows.
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