As fans patiently wait for the release of One Piece season 2, we’re also eager to learn more about the yet-to-be-announced third season of the live-action adaptation. Thanks to the comments made by the actors involved, we know that a third season is due to begin filming later this year. Eagle-eyed fans of the series have already identified that crew members have started returning to South Africa for pre-production.
One Piece is Netflix’s incredibly ambitious live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s beloved manga and pirate odyssey. Despite a wave of apprehension from manga and anime fans alike, the first season was received incredibly well and watched by millions of subscribers worldwide.
The series is centered on Luffy, a rookie pirate, whose dream is to become the King of the Pirates by finding Gold Roger’s fabled treasure, the One Piece. However, to achieve his goal, Luffy first seeks to gather a crew that can help him fulfill his dream.
For all of the latest news and information on the second season of One Piece, you can find our preview here.
What’s been said about One Piece Season 3 so far?
Thanks to it being the world’s worst-kept secret, by now, most of the world knows a third season of One Piece is happening. The third season has been mentioned publicly by actors of the One Piece live-action series. The most recent of which is Joe Manganiello, who will play Crocodile, also known as Mr. 0, in an interview with Cinemablend.
Joe Manganiello (Crocodile) seemingly confirms One Piece Live Action Season 3 will be filming later this year:
“We’ve taken a break between Season 2 and Season 3, I’ll be heading back later on this year, and we’ll be working on the next part of the story.” pic.twitter.com/BBhtITrfcj
— ONE PIECE NETFLIX FAN (@OP_Netflix_Fan) May 10, 2025
Earlier this year, Zoro actor Mackenyu also had an interview published with Crunchyroll, in which the actor stated that the cast had other projects lined up before shooting begins for season 3.
“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.”
Ironically, Netflix has yet to officially announce a third season of One Piece. However, that evidently hasn’t stopped cast members from openly discussing the third season, nor has it stopped Netflix from teasing the third season at their TUDUM 2025 live event.
Picture: A hint by Netflix at TUDUM that One Piece is renewed for a third season
Is One Piece season 3 in pre-production?
Eagle-eyed fans of the live-action One Piece have been hyper-vigilant in keeping track of the movements of the cast and even crew members of One Piece.
The live-action One Piece community has been piecing together that pre-production is now underway on the third season, thanks to updates from crew members who have posted on social media that they have since returned to Cape Town, South Africa, where One Piece is filmed.
Of course, we must remember that Netflix has made nothing official, but considering Joe Manganiello has confirmed filming will begin later this year, it makes perfect sense that crew members would be returning to work begin working on season 3.
When will One Piece season 3 start filming?
Previously, some cast members had openly discussed filming for seasons 2 and 3 taking place back-to-back. However, comments made by Joe Manganiello and other pieces of evidence above all confirm that an extensive break has taken place for the series, rather than filming back-to-back.
Most of the signs suggest filming will begin sometime in Q4 2025 (December 2025). However, we’re still waiting for official confirmation of when filming will begin.
Naturally, we expect to learn more information throughout the year as more details regarding Season 2 are revealed, and as more crew members and eventually the cast return to South Africa as pre-production ramps up.
Why is it taking so long to film?
If some fans are questioning why production would rather take an extended break rather than film back-to-back, it’s easy to forget how long the production process takes for a series like One Piece. Not to mention, many of the cast members and crew will be spending several months, some possibly longer, away from loved ones as they travel halfway across the world to work in South Africa.
Not to mention, as shown above, pre-production is even more extensive for the crew, as they are responsible for everything behind the camera, and all that which helps bring the incredible pages of the manga to life on screen.
The extended break allows the cast and crew to recharge their batteries, as everyone must be at their best for the third season, which will cover the events of the Alabasta Saga.
Are you looking forward to more seasons of the live-action One Piece on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below.
