Long before the Thousand Sunny even reaches its next island, Netflix is already plotting the voyage ahead. One Piece Season 2 is here with the Straw Hats starting their journey through the Grand Line, but the streaming giant has already charted the map for Season 3. The renewal came early in 2025, and production has already set sail in Cape Town, proof that this pirate adventure is playing the long game.

The bigger surprise? Season 3 is quietly expanding its world. New allies, dangerous villains and one very famous pirate brother are joining the journey, hinting that the story is preparing to dive headfirst into one of the manga’s most beloved sagas.

Every pirate crew needs an ace in the hole and Season 3 is getting exactly that. Netflix has cast Blue Beetle and Cobra Kai star Xolo Maridueña as Portgas D. Ace, the flame-wielding pirate who also happens to be Luffy’s older brother. Production on the new season is already underway in Cape Town, where the live-action series has built much of its sprawling seafaring world. 

For longtime fans of Eiichiro Oda’s universe, Ace is not just another character drifting through the Grand Line. He is a legend, the former captain of the Spade Pirates, a member of Whitebeard’s crew, and the man known across the seas as Fire Fist. Maridueña stepping into the role is a fascinating bit of Netflix cross-pollination. The actor spent six seasons on the streamer playing Miguel Diaz in Cobra Kai, turning him into one of the platform’s most recognizable young action stars.

Season 3 is also bringing in Tony-winning Broadway actor Cole Escola as the flamboyant assassin Bon Clay, a character whose theatrical flair has made him a cult favorite in the anime fandom. 

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If Season 2 introduces the Grand Line, Season 3 seems poised to embrace the chaos that lives there.

The good news for Straw Hat loyalists is that the crew is not abandoning ship anytime soon. Iñaki Godoy returns as the endlessly optimistic Monkey D. Luffy, alongside Mackenyu’s stoic Zoro, Emily Rudd’s sharp-witted Nami, Jacob Romero Gibson’s storyteller Usopp and Taz Skylar’s chef-turned-fighter Sanji.

Tony Tony Chopper, voiced by Mikaela Hoover is now officially part of the main ensemble as well with a sad storyline of his own. In the world of One Piece, joining the Straw Hats is basically a lifetime contract. Season 3 will also expand the rogues’ gallery. 

Joe Manganiello’s Crocodile is expected to play a larger role, while Lera Abova’s Nico Robin becomes increasingly central to the unfolding conspiracy. Baroque Works agents, including Mr. 1, Miss Doublefinger and the unforgettable Bon Clay are all expected to enter the stage.

All signs point toward the legendary Alabasta Arc. Instead of hopping between quirky islands, the story plants its flag in the desert kingdom of Alabasta, where Princess Vivi is caught in the middle of a civil war. The Straw Hats must uncover Crocodile’s scheme before the kingdom collapses.

Because in One Piece, every island is an adventure. But sometimes, it is also a battlefield.

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What do you think about Xolo Maridueña playing Ace? Share your thoughts in the comments.