Departure of Matt Owens from Netflix’s One Piece Series
Renowned for his role in shaping Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the celebrated manga series One Piece, Matt Owens has announced his decision to step down from the show after guiding it through two successful seasons.
New Beginnings Focused on Mental Health
In a heartfelt Instagram post shared on Friday, Owens revealed that he will be leaving the project to prioritize his personal growth and mental well-being. Following the completion of filming for the second season, he expressed a mixture of gratitude and reflection in his message.
“The last six years of working on the live-action One Piece have been a life changing journey. A dream come true,” Owens shared. “It’s also been A LOT. So I’m stepping off the Going Merry. … Thank you so much to Oda, Shueisha, Tomorrow Studios, Netflix, and the entire cast and crew for your trust, partnership, and hard work.”
A Legacy of Creative Vision
Owens has been a pivotal figure since the inception of this live-action project, developing comprehensive plans for the series and serving as co-showrunner alongside Steven Maeda during the first season and Joe Tracz in the upcoming second season.
As post-production for season two continues, Tracz will carry on overseeing the editing process, though Netflix has yet to reveal an official release date for the new episodes.
Community Acknowledgment
The official One Piece Instagram account shared Owens’ announcement, complementing it with the message: “You set us on a course for something truly special.” This acknowledgment highlights the significant contributions Owens has made to the series.
A Look Back at Owens’ Career
Before dedicating his talents to One Piece, Matt Owens was involved in the Marvel universe, contributing to notable series like Agents of SHIELD on ABC and Luke Cage on Netflix. Alongside Tracz, he executive produced One Piece, collaborating with industry titans such as Eiichiro Oda, Marty Adelstein, and Becky Clements.
For further details, visit the Hollywood Reporter.