The wave of live-action adaptations continues. AfterMy Hero Academia and Cowboy Bebop, more details have now emerged about another anime receiving a version with actors for Western audiences. One Piece, a manga created by Eiichiro Oda that spawned an anime already exceeding 800 episodes, will receive a series for the Netflix streaming platform. Confirmed since 2017, the series appears to be leaving development hell and actually entering production.
The budget for each episode is said to range from US$9 million to US$10 million, with Tomorrow Studios handling production. The company is also responsible for producing the live-action Cowboy Bebop series.
When the adaptation was announced, Oda said that "the first condition [he] presented was that the live action should be faithful to the fans who have supported One Piece for more than 20 years."
Announcement in the latest issue of Shonen Jump naming the writer and producer.
The latest issue of Shonen Jump also confirmed the head writer and producers. The series' creative vision and story will be in the hands of Matt Owens, who has experience writing Marvel comics and series for the comics giant, including Agents of Shield, The Defenders, and Luke Cage. He commented on getting the role:
One Piece is the story I love most in my life. Being trusted by Oda-Sensei and everyone at Shueisha and Tomorrow Studios to take on the enormous challenge of adapting this heartwarming epic adventure into live action is the greatest honor of all. I want to make the most of my passion for One Piece by creating an exciting live-action series that is faithful to the original story and will not only satisfy longtime fans, but bring in new fans as well.
Marty Adelstein will oversee production (Prison Break, Teen Wolf). He had the following to say about the choice of Matt Owens and the series:
When I saw Matt's presentation explaining his vision for the live-action adaptation, I knew he would be perfect for the job. What impressed me most is that he is a true One Piece fan. I am very excited to work with a writer as talented as Matt.
Finally, Eiichiro Oda will serve as executive producer for the series, supervising its production.
