‘Shōgun’: FX Sets Cast & Director for the Limited Period Drama Series

Casting for FX’s Shōgun has begun as the network unveils a roster full of talent for the adaptation of James Clavell’s best-selling novel.

The period drama will feature three leads, including newly cast Anna Sawai as Lady Mariko alongside previously announced stars Hiroyuki Sanada and Cosmo Jarvis, who have been cast as Yoshii Toranaga and John Blackthorne.

Director Jonathan Van Tulleken (Credit: Alessandro Brambilla)

Among the newly-unveiled ensemble cast are Tadanobu Asano, Fumi Nikaido, Tokuma Nishioka, Takehiro Hira, Ako, Shinnosuke Abe, Yasunari Takeshima, Hiroto Kanai, Toshi Toda, Hiro Kanagawa, Nestor Carbonell, Yuki Kura, Tommy Bastow, Moeka Hoshi, Yoriko Doguchi, and Yuka Kouri.

Jonathan van Tulleken is set to direct the first two episodes as production gets underway in Vancouver. Shōgun takes place in a feudal Japan and charts the collision of two ambitious men from different backgrounds and a mysterious female samurai.

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John Blackthorne is a risk-taking English pilot major who ends up shipwrecked in Japan, whose unfamiliar culture helps reshape him. Meanwhile, Lord Toranaga is a shrewd and powerful daimyo who is at odds with his own political rivals. And Lady Mariko has invaluable skills, as well as dishonorable family ties.

Serving as executive producers are writer Justin Marks, Michaela Clavell, Michael de Luca, and Ed McDonnell. Serving as co-executive producers are co-writer Rachel Kondo, Shannon Goss, Andrew Macdonald, and Allon Reich. Director Jonathan van Tulleken will also co-executive produce the first two episodes.

Meanwhile, star Hiroyuki Sanada is attached as a producer on the 10-episode limited series. Stay tuned for more details as production on Shōgun continues at FX.

Shōgun, TBA, FX