Jerry London, the director of the 1980 Shōgun miniseries, expresses strong criticism towards FX’s 2024 adaptation of the 1975 James Clavell novel. Shōgun follows Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) during the fight for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him after a mysterious European ship is found in a nearby fishing village. The 2024 adaptation, created by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, earned a 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes and numerous accolades. It quickly became a dominant force on the awards circuit and won 18 Emmys, making history as the first Japanese-language series to win Best Drama.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, London stated that the new Shōgun was difficult for American audiences to follow. He cited its focus on Japanese history and political machinations rather than the romantic and cultural themes that his own adaptation focused on. London emphasized the difficulty for viewers in engaging with its historical themes, noting that many had to stop watching due to confusion. Check out his comments below:

[The new Shōgun is] completely different from the one I did. 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. It’s 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.’ So the filmmakers of the new one really didn’t care about the American audience.

They made it basically for Japan, and I was happy about it because I didn’t want my show to be copied. I think I did such a great job, and it won so many accolades, that I didn’t want them to copy it, which they didn’t do. But the new one is funny because everybody I talked to said, ‘I don’t understand it. What’s it all about?’ I watched the whole thing. It’s very difficult to stick with. It won all the [Emmy] awards because there were no big shows against it. There was not too much competition.

London also expressed his disappointment that the campaign around 2024's Shōgun didn't include more conversation about his previous version:

It was disappointing. There wasn’t too much said about mine. Also, the new one has basically just one British actor [Jarvis] in it, and frankly, he didn’t have the charisma that Richard Chamberlain had.

What This Means For Shōgun

Both Shows Represent Different Times

While London's 5-episode Shōgun miniseries was designed to engage American audiences by focusing on romance with a side of historical drama, the 2024 adaptation places a stronger emphasis on political dynamics and Japanese culture. The shift in focus presents a challenge for viewers unfamiliar with Japanese history, which London argues makes it harder for Western audiences to connect with it. While the 1980 miniseries achieved widespread acclaim and a 79% Rotten Tomatoes score, the 2024 adaptation is seen as a critical and artistic success.

Mae Abdulbaki, who reviewed Shōgun for ScreenRant when the show released in 2024, had this to say in reaction to London's comments:

"Wow, I completely disagree with his take. I appreciated Shogun because it treated its audience with intelligence. The fact it was set in Japan and had its characters speaking Japanese made sense and was more authentic to the story it was telling. And there's nothing wrong with it being about Japanese history."

Contrasting both series, FX’s decision to make Shōgun more focused on Japanese history and language was a deliberate choice, and doing so even set it apart from the original James Clavell novel. In an age where lore-heavy shows such as Game of Thrones and international titles like Squid Game have become the biggest titles around, the new Shōgun was suited to the time it was released. London’s original aimed to offer a more linear story for viewers, which was perhaps more emblematic of its own time.

Our Take On Jerry London’s Shōgun Criticism

Over Three Decades Later, Shōgun Has Changed

London’s comments reflect the evolution of television adaptations. The 2024 Shōgun has received critical praise and won viewers over as well—two more seasons are in development at FX—suggesting not many were as put off by its more dense approach as London believes. London’s adaptation may have appealed to a different audience by providing relatable narrative elements. The contrast in these approaches underscores how different interpretations of the same material can reflect creative priorities, with both versions catering to the most important elements of Shōgun's story.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter