One Piece, the live-action adaptation of the popular manga series by Eiichiro Oda, will receive a new season on Netflix. However, the staff behind Season 2 will be different from Season 1.
According to Deadline, Joe Tracz is joining the live-action One Piece series as co-showrunner. Matt Owens, writer, executive producer and co-showrunner of One Piece Season 1, will be working with Tracz on Season 2. Steve Maeda, who previously served as co-showrunner and developed the Netflix TV series with Owen, will remain as executive producer. One Piece Season 2 will begin filming in June for a 2025 premiere.
Tracz comes hot on the heels of the Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, where he was a writer and co-executive producer. He also previously worked with Netflix on the 25-episode run of A Series Of Unfortunate Events. “I’ve been lucky to work on big adaptations of several beloved series, and they don’t come bigger or more beloved than One Piece," Tracz said. "I’m a huge fan of Oda-san’s incredible imagination and I was blown away by what the live-action team created in Season 1. So it’s a dream and a joy to come aboard the Going Merry as it enters the Grand Line for an even more giant Season 2.”
One Piece Was an Instant Hit With Fans
When it was released on Aug. 31, 2023, the live-action One Piece TV series took fans and critics by surprise with its faithful adaptation of the fantastical franchise. A feat not easily achieved, as evidenced by the poor reception of past animated-to-live-action adaptations by Netflix, such as Death Note, Cowboy Bebop and the recent Avatar: The Last Airbender. Although Netflix was quick to confirm Season 2 of One Piece with scripts reportedly ready to go, the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes held back production.
Not much is known about One Piece Season 2 for Netflix. However, the Season 1 finale confirmed that Smoker the White Hunter will make his introduction, but an actor has yet to be officially confirmed. In the Season 2 announcement video, One Piece author Oda confirmed that Tony Tony Chopper will be joining the Straw Hat Pirates, but there's been no mention of how the anthropomorphic character will be brought to life. According to Owens, One Piece Season 2 will make adjustments to its story to keep it in line with current events from the manga.
Source: Deadline
