Summary

Hiroyuki Sanada expresses interest in joining
Star Wars
, calling himself a big fan.
With critical acclaim for
Shōgun
, fans dream of Sanada wielding a lightsaber in the
Star Wars
franchise.

Shōgun
, set in 17th century Japan, receives rave reviews and potential to become the new
Game of Thrones
on Disney+.

John Wick: Chapter 4 and Shōgun star Hiroyuki Sanada has stated that he would love to join the Star Wars franchise. And the franchise would be foolish not to listen. Speaking with Variety recently, Sanada, who is currently leading the critically acclaimed Disney+ historical drama, said that he would love to join the fray of a galaxy far, far away and is a “big fan” of the iconic series.

“Yeah. All of them. Especially Star Wars. I’m a big fan. I cannot say one, because [the] world itself is amazing.”

Asked about whether he would be open to joining a tentpole franchise such as Marvel or Star Wars, Sanada sounded up for either. Or both. The actor has already starred (briefly) in the MCU, appearing in Avengers: Endgame as a Yakuza boss who is defeated by Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton.

While bringing him back into the MCU as a different character would not be without precedent, and while there are plenty of characters for Sanada to play, the idea of the John Wick star wielding a lightsaber is far more exciting.

There will be plenty of opportunities to add Sanada to the world of Star Wars in the near future, as the franchise continues to expand on both the big and small screens. On the big screen, a movie centered on The Mandalorian & Grogu is now incoming, as are movies about the origins of the Jedi and a new Jedi order led by Daisy Ridley’s sequel character, Rey. And that’s without mentioning potential projects helmed by Rian Johnson, Shawn Levy, and more.

As for the small screen, The Acolyte is next, with the Disney+ series following a respected Jedi Master as they investigate a series of crimes which bring him into conflict with a former Padawan learner and reveals sinister forces.

The Acolyte
is due to debut on Disney+ on June 4, 2024, with its first two episodes.

ShōGun Has Been Met With Critical Acclaim
Shogun (2024) 4.5/5 Release Date February 27, 2024 Seasons 1 Studio DNA Films, FX Productions, Michael De Luca Productions

While we close our eyes and dream of the epic sight of Hiroyuki Sanada wielding a lightsaber, the actor can currently be seen leading the critically acclaimed historical drama series, Shōgun, on Disney+. You can check out the official synopsis for the series below.

“Set in Japan in the year 1600, Lord Yoshii Toranaga is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him, when a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village.”

Related The Surprising Lesson Shōgun Learned from Star Wars Despite being in two different genres (and galaxies), FX’s Shōgun learned a valuable lesson from the Star Wars franchise.

Shōgun has been met with rave reviews from critics since airing its first episodes back in February, with the show now standing at a near-perfect rating of 99% on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. MovieWeb’s own Archie Fenn has heaped praise on Sanada in the lead role.

“Hiroyuki Sanada (John Wick 4) and Anna Sawai (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters) steal the show as Lord Toranaga and his faithful ward and translator, Mariko. Clavell’s book is a story filled with pages and pages of inner-dialogue, which the actors are forced to convey with a single look, or almost unnoticeable grimace, and they do so perfectly.”

The hugely positive response goes on to declare that Shōgun could become the new Game of Thrones…

“In a world where every TV show is trying to be the next Game of Thrones, the endless clones often find themselves falling short because of their incessant imitation. Shōgun isn’t trying to be the next Game of Thrones, and that’s precisely why it has the potential to be.”

Shōgun
is available to stream on Disney+, with the season 1 finale airing on April 23, 2024.