Netflix’s One Piece Season 3 is already filming: Release date and Alabasta plot details

Grab your straw hats, because the live-action adventure is far from over. One Piece has barely scratched the surface of the massive universe created by Eiichiro Oda and if Netflix keeps the ship steady, this adaptation could be sailing for years.

So far, the series has been moving through the manga at a steady clip. Season 1 took viewers through the East Blue saga, introducing audiences to the charm of Monkey D. Luffy and his budding pirate crew. Season 2 pushed the story further into the Grand Line, culminating in the crew recruiting everyone’s favourite adorable reindeer doctor, Tony Tony Chopper, from Drum Kingdom.

Naturally, that leaves one big question hanging in the air: what’s next?

First things first: the show is coming back. Netflix officially confirmed a third season in August 2025, even though cast members had been casually dropping hints about future filming for months.

In fact, the streaming giant greenlit Season 3 before Season 2 had even premiered, a loud vote of confidence. Clearly, Netflix liked what it saw from the first season’s global reception and decided the Straw Hats deserved a longer voyage.

The timing also makes sense story-wise. Season 2 essentially serves as the first half of a much bigger narrative arc. Concluding the show there would’ve been like stopping a pirate adventure mid-battle and nobody wants that.

If past timelines are anything to go by, patience will be required. Season 1 debuted in 2023, while Season 2 landed in March 2026 after a lengthy production process.

Season 3 reportedly began filming in late 2025, so fans could realistically see new episodes sometime around mid-2027. That may sound far away, but heavy CGI, especially those flashy Devil Fruit powers, means the production team needs time to make everything look spectacular.

In other words: good things take time.

Good news for fans: The core pirate crew isn’t going anywhere. The familiar faces remain firmly on deck.

Expect to see Iñaki Godoy return as Luffy alongside Mackenyu as Zoro, Taz Skylar as Sanji, Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp, and Emily Rudd as Nami.

Chopper, voiced by Mikaela Hoover, is now officially part of the main cast, because once you join the Straw Hats, there’s no going back.

And then, there's the villain lineup.

Season 3 will lean heavily into the Alabasta storyline, which means new enemies are lining up.

Joe Manganiello will take a bigger role as the ruthless pirate warlord Crocodile, while Lera Abova’s Nico Robin will also play a larger part. Meanwhile, Baroque Works agents, including Mr. 1, Miss Doublefinger and the iconic Bon Clay, are all joining the chaos.

And then there’s the moment fans have been waiting for: Luffy’s fiery older brother.

Xolo Maridueña is stepping in as Portgas D. Ace, one of the most beloved characters in the entire franchise. Even if his screen time is limited, his arrival is bound to be a highlight.

Up until now, the series has hopped from island to island like an overexcited tourist. New location, new villain, rinse and repeat.

The next chapter is expected to plant its flag squarely in the desert kingdom of Alabasta. With Princess Vivi caught in the middle of a brewing civil war, the Straw Hats will have to uncover the truth behind Crocodile’s scheme and save the kingdom from collapse.

Cue epic battles, dramatic showdowns and the classic One Piece formula: each Straw Hat squaring off against a different villain.

Yes, that means Luffy versus Crocodile. And if you know anything about that fight… you know it’s going to hurt.

Season 3 will also start teasing a much larger threat.

The pirate known as Blackbeard has already been name-dropped in Season 2, and Ace’s arrival could bring that shadowy figure into sharper focus.

Blackbeard’s story stretches far into the future of One Piece. But if Netflix keeps the adaptation going long enough, the eventual clash between Luffy and Blackbeard could become the show’s ultimate showdown.

For now, though, the Straw Hats have a kingdom to save and a desert full of trouble waiting for them.