One Piece live-action series is in production after encountering several delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The project was first announced in 2017, but Netflix ordered 10 episodes for the first season of the adaptation in January 2020.
One Piece live-action series is based on the manga series of the same name by Eiichiro Oda. Tomorrow Studio will produce the adaptation, with Oda serving as the executive producer alongside Tomorrow Studios CEO Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements.
Back in January 2020, the project was said to be in development. At the time, Oda was said to be working with showrunner Steven Maeda. Filming was supposed to begin in Cape Town in August 2020, but the plan was canceled because of the health crisis.
Now, it looks like everyone is getting back to work after Maeda recently posted an update on his Instagram account. He shared a photo and confirmed that they're back in the office and began working again after COVID-19 delayed the production last year.
The "Project Roger" can be read in the photo, which is a nod to Gol D. Roger who's known as the greatest Pirate King in the manga. Fans may likely expect more updates in the coming weeks especially now that production has kicked off.
But, even before the filming announcement of One Piece, some fans claimed that they spotted the production crew in Cape Town between February and March 2021. Moreover, several photos were taken, possibly on the set, showing a glimpse of the pirate ships.
The cast remains unknown as of this writing, though a lot of names were rumored to be joining the live-action series. While nothing is officially confirmed, some believed that Emily Rudd is part of the cast since her name has been listed on the IMDb page of the show.
Meanwhile, One Piece live-action will, reportedly, start with the East Blue arc. It will tackle the recruitment of Sanji, Zoro, Nami, and Usopp, as well as Luffy's fight against Arlong. The story is set to the "Golden Age of Pirates," with ruthless pirates ruling the sea to find Gol D. Roger's titular treasure.
Luffy wants to have his own crew and search for the treasure to be deemed as the new Pirate King. He can stretch his body like rubber, a unique power -- which also includes enormous strength and agility- - he gained after eating a devil fruit.
No official release date has been set for One Piece, but it is slated for a late 2021 or early 2022 premiere on Netflix.
