"Shogun" was the biggest hit show last year. But it now sounds like we may be waiting a long time for "Shogun season 2."
At the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference this past Tuesday (March 4), Disney Entertainment co-chairman Dana Walden gave an unexpected update on the 18-time Emmy winner.
"We like to bake it carefully," she told those in attendance (h/t Deadline). "We will not release season 2 until it’s ready.”
Now, there are a couple of caveats worth mentioning here. First, there's no indication that season 2 could be shelved entirely; it just might take longer than expected to get to us.
Second, this was at an investor event and Walden is reportedly (unofficially) campaigning to be the successor to Disney CEO Bob Iger. This feels like a comment meant to reassure investors that she's a steady hand rather than raise alarm over the current state of season 2 production.
Still, based on these comments we may have to adjust expectations about when to expect "Shogun season 2."
We're currently projecting a 2026 release date based on everything we know so far, but it's not impossible that it could be closer to 2027 if Disney is really taking its time.
This isn't the first Disney executive to comment on 'Shogun' season 2
Walden isn't alone in commenting on how Disney is being careful with "Shogun." Back in September, FX chairman of content and productions John Landgraf chimed in about the possibility of a season 3.
"I don’t know that we’re certain there will be three seasons," Landgraf told Deadline following FX's record-breaking night at the Emmys.
He clarified those comments by stating, "It still feels to us like three is the right number of seasons to really do it justice," but it's clear that he doesn't intend to force a season 3 if the story doesn't merit it.
Of course, Landgraf also originally envisioned "Shogun" as a limited series before greenlighting season 2, so there's a history of preaching caution but then still making more episodes of "Shogun." But frankly, the caution regarding this show is merited.
That's especially true since writing season 2 was always going to be difficult. The first season was initially intended to be a limited series, based on James Clavell's novel "Shogun." This new season will be based on historical events from 17th-century Japan, but the writers are essentially starting from scratch.
That's reportedly led to a difficult writers room, which only recently wrapped up. Filming is now set to begin in the fall, leaving me still hopeful we'll see "Shogun" season 2 in 2026 despite Walden's comments.
