EXCLUSIVE: FX’s Samurai Series ‘Shōgun’ Adds ‘Reprisal’ Director Jonathan van Tulleken

FX is finally moving forward with their long-gestating series remake of Shōgun that originally aired back in 1980 and starred legendary Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune (Yojimbo, Seven Samurai) as Lord Yoshii Toranaga. Their new incarnation of the samurai series will be led by Hiroyuki Sanada and British actor Cosmo Jarvis.

It was written by Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo, which is based on the novel from author James Clavell.

Shōgun is set in feudal Japan. It charts the collision of two ambitious men from different worlds and a mysterious female samurai: John Blackthorne (Jarvis), a risk-taking English sailor who ends up shipwrecked in Japan, a land whose unfamiliar culture will ultimately redefine him; Lord Toranaga (Sanada), a shrewd, powerful daimyo, at odds with his own dangerous, political rivals; and Lady Mariko, a woman with invaluable skills but dishonorable family ties who must prove her value and allegiance.

The Ronin can exclusively reveal that director Jonathan van Tulleken (Trust, Misfits, Top Boy, Reprisal) has signed on to the samurai series and will helm an undisclosed amount of episodes.

Sanada is currently busy with Chad Stahelski’s John Wick: Chapter 4 taking a role alongside franchise star Keanu Reeves and will appear in David Leitch’s Japanese-set action pic Bullet Train starring Brad Pitt. Other Hollywood credits include Westworld, The Last Samurai, Mortal Kombat, Army of The Dead, The Wolverine, Avengers: Endgame, Sunshine, Rush Hour 2, and 47 Ronin.

Production on will take place from late August to June of next year in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Speaking of Toshiro Mifune, Bryan Cogman (Game of Thrones, Amazon’s Lord of The Rings) is developing a contemporary series remake of Akira Kurosawa’s classic Yojimbo, that originally starred Mifune. Remakes from the west aren’t new for Yojimbo, as Sergio Leone did his version with A Fist Full of Dollars starring Clint Eastwood and there is the lesser known gangster version Last Man Standing from director Walter Hill that starred Bruce Willis.

Shōgun likely won’t be ready to drop until later in 2022.

FX Samurai Limited Series ‘Shōgun’ Casts Hiroyuki Sanada & Cosmo Jarvis In Lead Roles – Begins Shooting This Summer

The FX limited series Shōgun is finally moving into production after there had been plans to shoot back in 2018 but for various reasons it got delayed. It’s based on the James Clavell novel by that was developed into a television miniseries that aired in 1980.

Shōgun’s two male lead characters are Yoshii Toranaga and John Blackthorne. Yoshii is a powerful daimyo from a feared lineage, isolated and outnumbered by his enemies in Osaka Castle and John is an English pilot trying to fight a trade route the Pacific islands. FX has reportedly secure actors for the lead roles as Deadline says the network has hired legendary Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada and British actor Cosmo Jarvis.

The Samurai series was written by Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo.

Shōgun is set in feudal Japan. It charts the collision of two ambitious men from different worlds and a mysterious female samurai: John Blackthorne (Jarvis), a risk-taking English sailor who ends up shipwrecked in Japan, a land whose unfamiliar culture will ultimately redefine him; Lord Toranaga (Sanada), a shrewd, powerful daimyo, at odds with his own dangerous, political rivals; and Lady Mariko, a woman with invaluable skills but dishonorable family ties who must prove her value and allegiance.

Filming is said to begin sometime this summer.

Sanada’s western credits include Rush Hour 3, The Last Samurai, Mortal Kombat, Westworld, Avengers: Endgame, Life, The Wolverine, Sunshine, 47 Ronin, Speed Racer, and Army of The Dead.

This won’t be the samurai series remake in the works as Entertainment One is developing a show based on the classic the iconic Akira Kurosawa masterpiece Yojimbo from Bryan Cogman, who worked on HBO’s Game of Thrones and Amazon’s new Lord of The Rings series.

SOURCE: DEADLINE