As the Straw Hat Pirates gear up for their return in Season 2 of Netflix’s One Piece series, creative changes are taking place behind the sails. Variety reports that Joe Tracz, writer and co-executive producer on Disney+’s adaptation of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, will replace Steven Maeda as the co-showrunner for the sophomore season.
The scribe joins first season co-showrunner, writer, and executive producer Matt Owens in helming the show based on Eiichiro Oda’s manga of the same name. Maeda, who developed the series with Owens, is stepping down to a less creative role for reasons unknown.
“Joe has brought a wealth of enthusiasm and experience into our second season that will help take One Piece to new heights,” Owens said. “We’re incredibly lucky to have him as a co-captain of this ship. The best crew on the seas grows larger!”
One Piece sailed to Netflix in August 2023, and was quickly renewed for Season 2. The eight-episode romp proved popular among audiences, topping the streamer’s English-language TV charts with 18.5 million views for its premiere, and landing the No. 1 spot in 46 countries. In it, Iñaki Godoy stars as protagonist Monkey. D Luffy, leading an ensemble cast that includes Mackenyu, Emily Rudd, Jacob Romero, and Taz Skylar.
The record was later surpassed by the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series adaptation, which scored 21.2 million views in its opening week. Coincidentally, the project also recently saw a change in leadership for Season 2, with Albert Kim exiting his showrunner role. Christine Boylan and Jabbar Raisani are set to lead as executive producers, though it’s uncertain if this will continue into the third season.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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