Many fans of FX’s Shogun were shocked when it was announced that the show (which was planned as a miniseries) would be picked up for two more seasons. Though the continuation may have staggered some fans, the creators of the show recently shared that they aren’t winging the next two seasons, and they know how the show will end.

In an interview with Variety, showrunners Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo, discussed many aspects of the show’s success and plans for the following two seasons. While it may have come as a surprise to fans that the show would continue, Marks and Kondo felt there were still avenues left to explore, despite a seemingly definitive end. “There were a lot of questions that we felt were still unanswered in the story,” Marks said. “Not the least of which is that the title character doesn’t become the title character. And yeah, that’s really when you have history on your side, what you don’t have on your side is this wonderful book moving forward. There are no roads where we’re going.”

Shogun is a show that relies heavily on historical accuracy. The geography, governmental structure, down to the clothes the actors wore, are executed flawlessly and with precision. The showrunners were brought a level of accuracy to the show that made the world in the show feel real, and were smart to utilize history advisors to make sure everything was right. In discussions with said advisors, the showrunners became confident in how the show will ultimately conclude. “We know how it gets to that place, and that place historically is based on a story that Frederik Cryns told us that came from history, that was like, “Oh, wow. Yeah, no, this is the natural end of this.”

There is Still More Story to Tell

The show’s continuation was paired with the news that Hiroyuki Sanada (John Wick: Chapter 4), who brilliantly plays Lord Yoshii Toranaga, would return as well. Though the finale wraps up the first season nicely, it’s easy to see where the showrunners are coming from. Toranaga’s plan proves to be ultimately successful, though it came at a great cost to a beloved character. The show could have ended there, implying to the audience that he was indeed successful in his quest, but there’s still so much to explore in that world.

According to Marks, there wouldn’t be a second or third season if they didn’t have more story to tell. “We think we have something that is exciting and surprising,” Marks said. “We’re going to go into the room to build that and if we come out the other side and it’s no good, the assurance from FX and everyone is, we’re not going to make it.” There is no official release date for the second season as of yet.

Shogun is available to stream on Hulu.