Starting February 27, Disney+ offers its subscribers a dive into 17th-century Japan with Shogun, its all-new original series. This ambitious historical work sees a British ship’s commander wash up on the beaches of Japan. Imprisoned, the latter would attract the interest of Lord Yoshi Toranaga, then be in conflict with other clan leaders for control of the local shogunate.
Adapted from the best-selling literary cycle
Shogun is an adaptation of the bestselling novel by British author James Clavell. Known for his work as a screenwriter (notably he wrote the screenplay for The Great Escape), the latter also published around ten novels, including the six books that made up his Asian saga. The fourth part of the cycle that saw the light of day, Shogun is also the most famous of these six works.
Successfully, the rights to the novel were bought by NBC in 1980 for a television adaptation. For the role of John Blackthorne, the production tried to convince Sean Connery, but the latter refused on the pretext that he did not want to. Work in television. Other actors were considered before the role was finally given to Richard Chamberlain.
For the role of Lord Toranaga, the series got a real movie legend: Toshiro Mifune. A favorite actor of Akira Kurosawa, his fame went beyond the borders of his native country and opened the door to a successful Hollywood career. The shogun’s vision, considered caricatured and sometimes anachronistic, nevertheless earned him the wrath of the Japanese public.
Trailer for the first episode of Shogun:
A new, even more realistic version!
Despite everything, the mini-series was a great success. Offering Richard Chamberlain new status as a star actor (as well as a Golden Globe for Best Actor), Shogun also won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries in 1981. Especially on French TV.
The new Shogun adaptation features Cosmo Jarvis (Peaky Blinders) as John Blackthorne, and Hiroyuki Sanada (John Wick 4) as Yoshi Toranaga. Closer to the novel than the original series, this version also benefits from a much larger budget, allowing it to offer viewers a remarkably realistic and visually stunning show.
A new Shogun series can be seen every Tuesday exclusively in France on Disney+.
Discover the list of series currently available on the platform!
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
