It was revealed on June 11th that a sequel to the TBS Sunday Theatre drama "VIVANT" (Sundays at 9pm), starring Masato Sakai, which was broadcast in July 2023 and became a hot topic, will be broadcast in the same time slot in 2026 (broadcast date to be determined). On the same day, Sakai made a live appearance on the station's morning information program "THE TIME," (Monday to Friday at 5:20am) and announced the production of the sequel.
The sequel will be a continuation of the story, starting immediately after the last scene of the previous film, and there will be no changes to the setting of the main character, Nogi Yusuke, played by Sakai. Other cast members besides Sakai will be announced in the future. Fukuzawa Katsuo will be in charge of the original story, direction, and production, once again teaming up with Sakai in a powerful tag team. Iida Kazutaka will serve as producer. The previous film was shot on a grand scale in Mongolia, which drew much attention, and the sequel will also be shot on location overseas, traveling around the world.
The previous series, "VIVANT," captivated viewers with its unpredictable storyline, mysterious twists and turns, its all-star cast, and its stunning visual beauty and scale, with the final episode recording an average household viewership rating of 19.6% (Video Research, Kanto region). The total number of viewers on television, including time-shifted broadcasts of all 10 episodes, was an astounding 60 million people (Video Research, 32 regions nationwide, July to September 2023). It won numerous awards, including the Grand Prix in the serial drama category at the Tokyo Drama Awards 2024, and became a social phenomenon.
