New Cast Members Join the Straw Hats in Alabasta
Netflix has expanded the cast of its live-action "One Piece" series for Season 3, officially titled "One Piece: The Battle of Alabasta". Four actors have been tapped for recurring roles, as reported by multiple outlets including Variety and Deadline.
Emilio Sakraya (known for "Rheingold" and "Those About to Die") will play Koza, a childhood friend of Princess Vivi. Omid Abtahi ("The Mandalorian") will portray Toto, Koza's father. Jamie Ward ("The Gentlemen", "Invisible Boys") and Nabeel Khan ("Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom", "Strike Back") will play Pell and Chaka, two of the kingdom's royal guards, according to Variety and other sources.
The castings were announced on August 23 during the One Piece Day stage show in Tokyo, Japan, as detailed by Deadline and confirmed in other reports. Production for the third season has already wrapped in Cape Town, South Africa, according to Deadline and Variety.
A Season Defined by Rebellion
Season 3 will follow the Straw Hat crew as they enter the treacherous Grand Line and arrive in the desert kingdom of Alabasta, Princess Vivi's homeland. Per the official logline, a rebellion threatens to tear the nation apart, fueled in secret by one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the ruthless Sir Crocodile, and his underground syndicate Baroque Works, who seek to conquer Alabasta for themselves. The Straw Hats must face a brewing civil war and a powerful warlord to save Vivi's kingdom before it crumbles into the sand.
This storyline sets the stage for the new characters: Koza and Toto are tied to Vivi's past, while Pell and Chaka serve as royal guards, as noted by Gizmodo.
Returning Cast and Previously Announced Newcomers
Returning for the third season are Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Mackenyu as Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero as Usopp, and Taz Skylar as Sanji. They are joined by Charithra Chandran as Miss Wednesday, Mikaela Hoover as Chopper, Joe Manganiello as Mr. 0, Lera Abova as Miss All Sunday, and Sendhil Ramamurthy as Nefertari Cobra, according to Variety and ANI.
Previously announced new cast members for Season 3 include Cole Escola as Bon Clay, Xolo Maridueña as Portgas D. Ace, Daisy Head as Miss Doublefinger, and Awdo Awdo as Mr. 1, as reported by Variety and Deadline.
Behind the Scenes
Joe Tracz and Ian Stokes serve as co-showrunners, writers, and executive producers. The series is created in partnership with Shueisha and produced by Tomorrow Studios and Netflix, as stated by Variety. Executive producers include Eiichiro Oda, Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements, Tetsu Fujimura, Chris Symes, Christoph Schrewe, and Steven Maeda, according to Deadline and Variety.
Gizmodo also reported that fans can expect the new season sometime in 2027, while noting that Toei has announced two new One Piece films. However, the release date for the live-action season has not been officially confirmed by Netflix.