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Matt Owens, one of the showrunners behind Netflix’s live-action adaptation of One Piece, has announced his departure from the series to prioritize his mental health.
In a message shared on Instagram, Owens reflected on his six-year journey with the show, describing it as a dream come true but also acknowledging the immense demands of the project.
“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,” Owens wrote in his post. “So I’m stepping off the Going Merry to take a break and focus on myself and my mental health.“
Owens expressed his sincere gratitude to the creator of One Piece, Eiichiro Oda, as well as Shueisha, Tomorrow Studios, Netflix, and the entire cast and crew for their trust, partnership, and hard work.
Looking ahead, Owens shared his immediate plans, stating he will do some therapy and try to rank up in Marvel Rivals game. He added that he will come back refreshed for the new adventures that await him in the future.
Interestingly, Joe Tracz had joined the team for the second season as the new writer, executive producer, and co-showrunner alongside Matt Owens.
While Netflix has not made an official announcement, updates from social media suggested that the filming for the second season wrapped up in December 2024. The filming had begun in June 2024.
One Piece Live-Action Season 2 is said to air in 2025, and will cover arcs from Loguetown to Drum Island.
Season 1 of One Piece live-action adaptation premiered in Netflix on Aug 31, 2023.
Netflix is exclusively streaming the series, produced by Tomorrow Studios, a partnership between producer Marty Adelstein and ITV Studios.
The first season of the series was the most watched title on Netflix in the second half of 2023.
Source: Matt Owen’s Instagram
