While we're all patiently waiting for a release date for One Piece Season 2, it seems that Netflix has already approved plans for a third season. Nothing official has been announced publicly yet, but there's growing evidence that points to Season 3 being greenlit.
The latest hint comes from actor Mackenyu as part of a wide-ranging interview with Crunchyroll. When asked about future projects, the actor straight-up mentioned Season 3 of One Piece, although he acknowledged that they have not yet begun shooting the third season.
The next project is going to be One Piece Season 2. We do have projects lined up for this year before we shoot Season 3 of One Piece, but I can’t tell you anything about that, so it’s not going to be fun for y’all.
Although Mackenyu could not divulge any information about One Piece Season 3, the fact that he just admitted there are plans to film it basically confirms what many of us have presumed all along. Netflix's live-action series is just too successful for the streamer to end after Season 2. In all likelihood, Netflix is probably waiting for the premiere of One Piece Season 2 before announcing a third season.
Netflix waited two weeks after the series first debuted to officially announce a second season. The show was first released on Netflix in August 2023 with filming for Season 2 beginning in June 2024. Production on the highly anticipated second season officially wrapped earlier this month with Netflix sharing a first-look photo.
Netflix still has not announced a release date for One Piece Season 2 but many believe it will premiere later this year. This is based on a few hints, one of which came from Buggy the Clown actor Jeff Ward who seemed to mouth "2025" in the set tour video. Additionally, the announcement of the One Piece LEGO collection suggested that new episodes will arrive "later this year."
The first season of One Piece was a smash hit for Netflix, becoming the No. 1 title globally for the streamer with ver 37.8 million views amassed in less than two weeks of its release. The series received widespread acclaim from critics and fans alike. On Rotten Tomatoes, it sits at an impressive 86% with the Critics Consensus reading: "One Piece captures the essence of its beloved source material with a charmingly big-hearted adaptation that should entertain longtime fans as well as patient newcomers."
As previously confirmed by One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda, Season 2 will adapt the Loguetown, Reverse Mountain (Twin Cape), Whiskey Peak, Little Garden, and Drum Island arcs from the manga. Oda, who visited South Africa during filming on Season 2, stated that it's going to "surpass Season 1."