Hiroyuki Sanada Plays Embattled Warlord in Epic ‘Shōgun’ Trailer

Hiroyuki Sanada plays a warlord fighting for his life as his enemies unite against him in the trailer for Hulu and FX’s epic limited series Shōgun, which was unveiled on Thursday ahead of a Feb. 2024 debut.

Just as Sanada’s character, besieged Lord Yoshii Toranaga, is facing defeat as the 10-episode series begins, a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village and the English pilot, Major John Blackthorne, played by Cosmo Jarvis, is taken prisoner.

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While also having the warlord as his spiritual mentor, Toranga looks to Blackthorne to tip the balance in his fight against his enemies on the Council of Regents.

Whether Blackthorne survives or dies in captivity also becomes tied to Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai), a translator for Toranaga enlisted to avenge her father’s death. “Just remember, we live and we die. We control nothing beyond that,” Mariko tells Blackthorne at one point in the trailer.

Shōgun, based on James Clavell’s novel and set in 1600 at the start of a feudal Japanese civil war, was previously adapted for a 1980 miniseries that starred Richard Chamberlain. Unlike the original miniseries that was told from the perspective of Blackthorne, the upcoming FX series now also tells the story from the Japanese perspective offered by the Toranga and Mariko characters.

The ensemble cast includes a range of Japanese actors, including Tadanobu Asano, Hiroto Kanai, Takehiro Hira, Moeka Hoshi and Tokuma Nishioka.

FX Productions’ Shōgun adaptation was created by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, with Marks serving as showrunner and executive producer. Michaela Clavell (the novel author’s daughter), Edward L. McDonnell, Michael De Luca and Kondo also executive produce.

Shōgun will also bow on Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ in all other territories worldwide in February 2024.

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