One Piece season 2: everything we know so far about the hit Netflix show's return

While One Piece season 2 isn't ready to set sail just yet, it's getting a lot closer as filming officially wrapped in February. The live-action Netflix series adapts Eiichiro Oda's best-selling manga into a high seas adventure jam-packed with action. And it's up to one of the best streaming services to return with more high-octane fun, giving viewers their next devil fruit fill. While the release window is seemingly a little way off, there's plenty of intel that we've gathered from the far-flung corners of the internet to dive into around what to expect from One Piece season 2.

While we await the return of Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hats crew, there's an impressive cast list that just keeps on growing as new adventurers (and villains) join the show. Below, we've got the lowdown on everything you need to know including release date prediction, all the cast announcements, story rumors, and more for One Piece season 2. It's one of the best Netflix shows and while you wait for One Piece's return, there's plenty more on that list to enjoy on the streamer. For now, let's explore what season 2 has in store.

One Piece season 2 release date prediction

While One Piece season 2 doesn't have an official launch date just yet, principal photography was confirmed to have finished on February 4 — meaning we're one step closer to high seas adventure.

Netflix officially announced One Piece season 2 in September 2023, but one week before its renewal, producer Marty Adelstein suggested One Piece season 2 was ready to go, but two big Netflix hurdles blocked its path. Clearly, those issues haven't proven to be detrimental to its second season's cause. Considering One Piece season 1 was king of the TV show high seas weeks after its launch, it was only a matter of time before Netflix commissioned a second season.

And, Netflix teased One Piece season 2's next high-seas adventure by confirming on July 1 that filming was officially underway. Sharing the news on X (formerly Twitter), the streaming service revealed a teaser trailer with some behind-the-scenes footage of the main cast heading to Cape Town. It's happening, Nakama!

Mix all of the above together with what Buggy the Clown actor Jeff Ward seems to imply in the X/Twitter post above, a 2025 date is looking more likely than 2026. So, it seems likely that season 2 will embark on its Netflix voyage before the year ends.

One Piece season 2 trailer: is there one?

There’s no One Piece season 2 trailer yet. As soon as that changes, we’ll let you know.

One Piece season 2 cast: confirmed and rumored

Full spoilers follow for One Piece season 1.

It’s fair to assume we’ll see all of the Straw Hats Crew back for One Piece season 2:

• Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy
• Emily Rudd as Nami
• Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro
• Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp
• Taz Skylar as Sanji

Monkey D. Garp (Vincent Regan), who was revealed to be Luffy’s grandad and was testing Luffy to see if he was dedicated to his dream, is likely to return as well, as are Buggy the Clown (Jeff Ward) – who vowed to kill Luffy – and rival Captain Alvida (Isorelýs Paulino).

As for potential newcomers, beloved actor Jamie Lee Curtis – a massive fan of One Piece – took to Instagram in late 2023 to throw her hat in the ring to play the part of Doctor Kureha, who joins the pirate gang as their official medic (a necessity, given the wild amount of violent skirmishes they find themselves in). Although, as of a cast reveal in August (discussed below), we know that role is no longer up for grabs.

But, there's still plenty of other roles to play in One Piece. Responding to Curtis's post, former showrunner Matthew Owens wrote: "Hope to speak to you soon" before later telling Deadline: "At this point we’re writing for her – we really, really want her to come and play with us". The season 2 announcement video appeared to tease this potential star casting, too, with Oda adding: "From here on, it seems to me that the Straw Hats will need a great doctor…we will see."

When it comes to new cast members joining One Piece season 2, Netflix has been drip-feeding us new cast announcements over the past few months. Here's a brief rundown of who's joining the crew for season 2:

• David Dastmalchian as Mr. 3
• Jazzara Jaslyn as Miss Valentine
• Camrus Johnson as Mr. 5
• Daniel Lasker as Mr. 9
• Clive Russell as Crocus
• Werner Coetser as Dorry
• Brendan Murray as Brogy
• Callum Kerr as Smoker
• Julia Rehwald as Tashigi
• Rob Colletti as Wapol
• Ty Keogh as Dalton
• Katey Sagal as Dr. Kureha
• Sendhil Ramamurthy as Nefertari Cobra
• Charithra Chandran as Miss Wednesday
• Joe Manganiello as Mr. O/Crocodile
• Lera Abova as Miss All-Sunday
• Sophia Anne Caruso as Miss Goldenweek
• Anton David Jeftha as K.M.
• Mark Penwill as Chess
• Rigo Sanchez as Dragon
• Yonda Thomas as Igaram
• James Hiroyuki Liao as Ipponmatsu

Those cast reveals began last June, with the first four newcomers announced (via X/Twitter) on June 25. That were followed by another X/Twitter post revealing three more cast members a day later, before a final drop on X/Twitter announced four other cast additions on June 27.

Three more cast reveals for One Piece season 2 were made in August 2024 with this X/Twitter post confirming Katey Sagal (Futurama, Disenchantment) as Dr. Kureha, another X/Twitter post for Sendhil Ramamurthy (Never Have I Ever) as Nefertari Cobra, and this final X/Twitter post for Charithra Chandran (Bridgerton) as Miss Wednesday.

Then, during Geeked Week Live 2024, One Piece got some serious season 2 cast upgrades adding Joe Manganiello as Mr. O/Crocodile and Lera Abova as Miss All Sunday to the impressive list.

Plus, even though we expected him to appear, based on season 2's plot being based on the Arabasta Saga (read more below), Tony Tony Chopper's debut was teased in a behind-the-scenes/table read during Geeked Week Live, too, but no voice actor has been announced yet. You can see his trademark red hat and reindeer antlers in this X/Twitter post.

Finally, in January, this X/Twitter post revealed Sophia Anne Caruso as Miss Goldenweek, Anton David Jeftha as K.M., and Mark Penwill as Chess. And another X/Twitter post confirmed Rigo Sanchez as Dragon, Yonda Thomas as Igaram, and James Hiroyuki Liao as Ipponmatsu not long after.

One Piece season 2 story speculation

Major spoilers follow for One Piece season 1. Potential season 2 spoilers are also discussed.

One Piece season 2's plot synopsis hasn't been revealed yet, but we do have a clearer picture of what it'll entail, thanks to the new cast additions, the manga series, and the One Piece anime adaptation. We've also been teased with a post on X (seen above) revealing the first episode's title, "The Beginning and the End", which hints at a potential story arc from episode 48 of the original manga, "The Town of the Beginning and the End - Arrival at Loguetown." New cast addition, Smoker (Callum Kerr) is considered the main antagonist of the Loguetown arc, so this could potentially hint at where the One Piece story sails to next.

Season 1 wrapped up with the stretchy-limbed Luffy turning his back on the marines before having an almighty face-off with Arlong (freeing Nami's people in the process) and his grandfather. However, when Garp relents and reveals he had been testing Luffy this whole time, it seems all is well in Straw Hat land. With Nami officially joining the Straw Hats crew, the group bands together to head to The Grand Line to find the titular One Piece, which Luffy hopes will fulfill his dream of becoming King of the Pirates.

As it happens, all isn't well. Following his humiliation at Luffy's hands, Captain Nezumi placed a bounty of 30 million berries on our protagonist's head, and several of the nightmarish characters who seem intent on capturing him – dead or alive – aren't going to turn down a prize of that magnitude. Expect this manhunt to be a main story thread in One Piece season 2.

Considering season 1 covered around 90 chapters in Oda's sweeping (and seemingly never-ending) manga series, there’s likely to be a similar breadth in the follow up. This means we could see the crew land on an island of giants, as well as the fight against a gang of bounty hunters who want to dominate the nation of Arabasta. The arrival of Smoker, too, will see him also popping up in the Little Garden and Arabasta arcs, as well as the Loguetown arc we previously mentioned.

Speaking of the Arabasta arc, as hinted at by IGN, season 2 is expected to follow it closely, in-keeping with the One Piece original manga. The Arabasta arc is known for featuring the Baroque Works, a criminal syndicate hell bent on conquering the Arabasta Kingdom, and who’s an officer of Baroque Works? None other than Mr. 3 himself. It’s not the first we’ve heard of Baroque Works either, with Zoro almost getting recruited to the dodgy gang in season 1’s pilot episode. Plus, during Regan's interview at Vienna's Comic-Con in November 2024, he seemingly confirmed the Arabasta arc's presence, in more than one season: "And I guess they’ll start filming season 3 pretty soon, and I think they are doing- I think it’s called the Arabasta story arc. I think it’s going to take two seasons. What I’ve seen of the designs, drawings, and when I was there there was some really fun stuff being shot there at the moment."

From the new cast additions, there's some other story threads that could potentially occur in One Piece season 2. While we have speculated over Smoker's place in season 2, he'll also be joined by his crewmate Tashigi, who, despite rivalry with Luffy, ally with him during the Arabasta arc. There's also Crocus from the Reverse Mountain arc, Dorry and Brogy, the two captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates, who ally with the Straw Hats during the Little Garden and Egghead arcs. And finally, Dalton and Wapol from the Drum Island arc - Dalton an ally, Wapol very much not. Either way, there's potential for lots of team ups and rivalries on the cards.

Plus, when it comes to the casting of Dr. Kureha (Katey Sagal), co-showrunner Matt Owens told Tudum: "When the Season 2 writers' room got together, we knew how far we were going to get and that this character Dr. Kureha was going to be a big part of the season."

The future of One Piece on Netflix

Let's start with the obvious: given the level of success season 1 enjoyed, it's highly unlikely One Piece season 2 will be the end of the line for the live-action adaptation. Indeed, with over 1,000 chapters (and counting) in Oda's legendary manga series, there's plenty more source material to mine.

Plus, in conversation with What's On Netflix Vincent Regan, aka Vice-Admiral Garp, said: "I guess they’ll start filming season 3 pretty soon." Huge news considering Netflix hasn't actually announced a third season yet, at all. So, it seems Regan has jumped the gun somewhat when it comes to One Piece season 3. If it's true, that is.

The good news is we could see One Piece stretch out for over a decade. Speaking to Deadline, Adelstein and Clements revealed their hopes for the future, with Adelstein saying: "We have hopes for 12 seasons, there’s so much material". Speaking before Owens' departure, Clements added: "We’re over 1,080 chapters at this point in the manga. We have plans with Matt for how we would break multiple seasons, and I think even if we did six seasons, we would probably only use up half of the chapters of the manga. It really could go on and on and on."

In June, the rumor mill was set ablaze with speculation around a season three renewal, which came from a ComicBook.com interview with Brashaad Mayweather, who plays Patty in the show. Asked about a third season, Mayweather said: "They [Netflix] are filming two seasons – season two and three – back to back starting soon". Since the interview circulated online, though Mayweather has said he was just speculating on that possibility. Netflix has confirmed reports of season 3 were "not accurate at this time," with What's On Netflix, too. In short: One Piece season 3 hasn't secretly been greenlit, but it feels inevitable at this point.

For more Netflix TV-based coverage, read everything we know about Stranger Things season 5, Squid Game season 3, and Wednesday season 2. Or, if you're searching for shows like One Piece, watch one or more of these five great pirate-based shows.