Original Shogun Director Blasts FX Remake for One Reason (But He’s Dead Wrong)

Jerry London, who directed NBC’s 1980 adaptation of James Clavell’s historical novel Shogun, has criticized FX’s new version of the story in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. The veteran director claims the new series, which follows an English navigator’s journey through feudal Japan amid political intrigue and cultural clashes, fails to entertain American audiences by focusing too heavily on Japanese history. This marks the latest chapter in the complex legacy of Clavell’s 1975 bestseller, which first captivated readers with its epic tale of Western sailor John Blackthorne’s transformation after being shipwrecked in 17th-century Japan, where he becomes entangled in the power struggles of Lord Yoshii Toranaga and develops a forbidden romance with the mysterious Lady Mariko.

London’s criticism of the new adaptation stems primarily from comparisons to his version of Shogun. “It’s completely different from the one I did,” London explains. “Mine was based on the love story of Shogun between Blackthorne and Mariko, and this new one is based on Japanese history, and it’s more about Toranaga, who was the Shogun.” The director expressed particular concern about audience accessibility, noting the new Shogun series “is very technical and very difficult for an American audience to get their grips into it. I’ve talked to many people that have watched it, and they said, ‘I had to turn it off because I don’t understand it.’” He further emphasized his belief that “the filmmakers of the new one really didn’t care about the American audience” and instead “made it basically for Japan.”

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The original miniseries director didn’t stop at criticizing the show’s approach to the material. London also took aim at the new adaptation’s lead actor, comparing him unfavorably to his own star. “There wasn’t too much said about mine,” London laments, adding that the new version “has basically just one British actor [Cosmo Jarvis] in it, and frankly, he didn’t have the charisma that Richard Chamberlain had.” London even suggests that the new show’s recent awards success is more due to lack of competition than merit, stating, “It won all the awards because there were no big shows against it. There was not too much competition.” Unfortunately for London, it’s easy to disprove all of his claims.

Jerry London Is Wrong About FX’s Shogun Remake

The viewership data for FX’s Shogun directly contradicts London’s assessment of American audience engagement. The series dominated streaming charts across all platforms in its first two weeks of release, becoming one of the few non-Netflix series to achieve back-to-back number-one rankings in the United States. This success extended beyond initial curiosity, as the show maintained strong viewership numbers throughout its run, accumulating 9 million views across Hulu, Disney+, and Star+ in just its first six days. The sustained engagement suggests that rather than turning off the show as London suggests his acquaintances did, American audiences were actively binging the series.

London’s assertion that the show’s awards success was due to “no big shows against it” is equally false. Shogun faced stiff competition at the 76th Emmy Awards, going head-to-head with acclaimed series like The Morning Show and Fallout in the Outstanding Drama Series category. Furthermore, the series’ 25 total nominations put it in direct competition with other heavily nominated series, including The Bear (23 nominations), Only Murders in the Building (21 nominations), and The Crown (18 nominations). Shogun’s eventual 18 wins weren’t handed out in a vacuum – they were earned against some of television’s most prestigious and popular shows.

The clearest refutation of London’s criticism comes from FX’s decision to order two additional seasons of Shogun. In an era where streaming services and networks are increasingly quick to cancel even moderately successful shows, this multi-season commitment indicates the company’s confidence in audience engagement. 

London’s 1980 adaptation certainly deserves recognition for breaking ground in bringing this story to American television. His version won both Emmy and Golden Globe awards, including Best Limited Series, with Chamberlain’s charismatic performance as Blackthorne helping to draw massive ratings for NBC. However, his dismissal of the new series’s ability to connect with modern audiences is more rooted in personal attachment than in actual viewer response.

Shogun continues its run on FX, with production on its second season expected to begin later this year.

What do you think of Shogun? Do you agree with London, or did you enjoy the show? Join the discussion in the comments!