One Piece live-action series showrunner Matt Owens has stepped away from the series, per an Instagram post from his official account: “The last 6 years working on the live action One Piece have been a life changing journey. A dream come true. It’s also been A LOT.“
“So I’m stepping off the Going Merry to take a break and focus on myself and my mental health,” Owens continued. “Thank you so much to Oda, Shueisha, Tomorrow Studios, Netflix, and the entire cast and crew for your trust, partnership, and hard work. For now I’m gonna take a breath, do some therapy, try and rank up in Marvel Rivals, and come back refreshed for the new adventures that await. Thanks to everyone who has supported me. See you real soon!“
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It’s unclear from his wording whether this is a temporary or permanent move. Per a recently revealed production listing from the WGA, Owens is listed as a showrunner for One Piece Season 3, slated for a 2025-2026 production window.
As a showrunner, Owens was a core creative force behind the One Piece live-action. He was also the fans’ window to original manga creator Eiichiro Oda, revealing his perspective on the series. According to Owens, Oda’s pushed for no romance between the crewmates and no changes to Devil Fruit abilities. Oda wanted no changes to the Straw Hat Pirates’ backgrounds.
Owens’ departure follows new cast additions to the series:
- Rigo Sanchez as Dragon
- Yonda Thomas as Igaram
- James Hiroyuki Liao as Ipponmatsu
- Sophia Anne Caruso as Miss Goldenweek
- Anton David Jeftha as K.M.
- Mark Penwill as Chess
Netflix streams the One Piece live-action series, with Season 2 initially listed for a 2025 release, but this was later removed. Netflix describes the series:
Monkey D. Luffy sails with his crew of Straw Hat Pirates through the Grand Line to find the treasure One Piece and become the new king of the pirates.
Source: Matt Owens’ Instagram
© Eiichiro Oda / Shueisha
© Netflix
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