Netflix's live-action One Piece series has been an incredible success for the streaming service. But with great success comes great stress. And that stress has apparently taken its toll on series showrunner Matt Owens.
Taking to social media, Owens announced he will be departing the series to focus on his mental health.
“The last six years working on the live-action One Piece have been a life-changing journey," Owens wrote. "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."
"Thank you so much Oda, Shueisha, Tomorrow Studios, Netflix, and the entire cast and crew for your trust, partnership, and hard work," he continued. "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!”
A fan of the original manga from Eiichiro Oda, Matt Owens served as co-showrunner, writer, and executive producer on Netflix's live-action adaptation. Prior to joining the project, he worked in Marvel's writers' room on Luke Cage, The Defenders, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
A huge fan of One Piece, Owens jumped at the opportunity to join the project. His connection to the source material has been well-documented, especially in a previous Netflix article titled "Nothing Matters More to Matt Owens Than ‘ONE PIECE’ — Even Oda Says So."
In a prior interview with Netflix's Tudum, One Piece manga creator Eiichiro Oda praise Matt Owens for his ability to fully understand the source material. Oda said of working with Owens:
“He understands ONE PIECE more than anybody else. We did go through an earlier phase when we went through some trials and tribulations because there's no road map for a successful adaptation. For a while we struggled to figure out how to go about creating a live-action One Piece for a global audience. But one day—a few years in—I received scripts that showed that he and his team really captured the characters, which brought me great joy.”
Suffice to say, Owens has been instrumental in the success of Netflix's live-action adaptation. Owens has largely been the source of most major announcements and details for Season 2 of One Piece, which just wrapped filming back in February.
According to Deadline, Owens' departure is effective immediately, which means Joe Tracz, who joined Season 2 as executive producer and co-showrunner, will oversee the remainder of post-production.
Netflix has not yet announced when One Piece Season 2 will premiere although many expect it will be later this year. There are already rumors that the series has been greenlit for a third season although nothing official has been announced yet.