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Shogun Series at FX Casts Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis in Lead Roles

Hiroyuki Sanada and Cosmo Jarvis have been cast in lead roles of the FX series adaptation of “Shogun,” Variety has confirmed.

“Shogun” is based on the James Clavell novel of the same name. It is set in feudal Japan and 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 role of Lady Mariko has yet to be cast.

The original novel was published in 1975 and became a major best-seller with more than 30 million copies sold worldwide. It previously inspired the 1980 NBC miniseries of the same name, which starred Richard Chamberlain as Major John Blackthorne, Toshiro Mifune starred as Lord Yoshi Toranaga and Yoko Shimada as Lady Toda Mariko.

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FX ordered the project to series back in 2018. Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo are co-writers on the series. Marks also executive produces along with Michaela Clavell, daughter of James. Kondo serves as co-executive producer. FX Productions will produce.

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Sanada most recently appeared in the Netflix film “Army of the Dead” and the film adaptation of “Mortal Kombat,” in which he played iconic character Scorpion. His other American credits include “Westworld,” “The Wolverine,” “The Last Ship, “The Last Samurai,” and “Rush Hour 3.”

He is repped by CAA, Axon Entertainment, Lighthouse Entertainment and Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton.

Jarvis’ past TV credits include “Raised by Wolves” and “Peaky Blinders,” along with features like “Lady Macbeth,” “Hunter Killer,” and “Calm With Horses.”

He is repped by The Artists Partnership, UTA and Morris Yorn.

Deadline first reported the castings.

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