The iconic Japanese manga “One Piece” is being adapted by Netflix into a live-action series.
Netflix has issued a 10-episode order for the project, teaming with Tomorrow Studios, which is also producing the streamer’s other forthcoming manga-based series “Cowboy Bebop,” and the original series’ publisher Shueisha. The series was first announced as being in development in 2017.
“One Piece” is a pirate adventure story written by Eiichiro Oda which has sold over 460 million copies worldwide. The series center around Monkey D. Luffy, a young man who embarks on a journey to become king of the pirates and find the celebrated “One Piece” treasure. A whopping total of 14 animated films based on the series have been released, along with a long-running anime series which is currently in its 20th season.
Netflix will handle the physical production on the new series, with “X-Files” and “Lost” producer Steven Maeda on board to writer, showrun and executive produce. Matt Owens, whose previous credits include “Luke Cage” and “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” will write and exec produce.
Tomorrow Studios, which also has Amazon’s “Hanna” and the upcoming “Snowpiercer” series at TNT on its books, is a partnership between Marty Adelstein and ITV Studios. Adelstein will exec produce the Netflix series for Tomorrow alongside Becky Clements.
Original author Oda is the final EP listed on the series.
News of the series comes around four months after production on Tomorrow’s other Netflix show “Cowboy Bebop” was halted due to a knee injury sustained by its star John Cho on set.
The injury occurred during a rehearsed sequence that was not considered to be a large-scale stunt, according to sources familiar with the situation. Cho later returned to Los Angeles, where he underwent surgery.