As we continue to wait for One Piece season 2, we get some more great news about season 3. A Cobra Kai star is joining the third season, and it’s in a role that is going to be huge for Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hats.
Xolo Maridueña is switching out karate moves for a journey across the seas in One Piece season 3. It’s certainly an exciting move, as the show continues to adapt the anime series of the same name.
Who will Xolo Maridueña play in One Piece season 3?
Maridueña will take on the role of Portgas D. Ace, a sworn brother of Monkey D. Luffy, which means we’ll get even more of Luffy’s backstory. The first season touched on when he ended up eating the dragon fruit and how he ended up with the straw hat, but it’s not delved too much into his life between being left behind and embarking on his journey to become King of the Pirates.
Based on the anime, we know that Portgas D. Ace is the captain of the Spade Pirates, before being recruited into the Whitebeard Pirates, where he eventually becomes the 2nd division commander. However, he is also the sworn brother of Monkey D. Luffy and a character named Sabo, who hasn’t been cast just yet.
While Ace initially appears at the end of the Drum Island storyline, it’s not until the Arabasta Arc that we get to really see him in action. When Netflix announced his casting, it wasn’t clear if it was as a series regular or a guest star, making it hard to figure out just how far into the Arabasta Arc we may end up going into during One Piece season 3.
ONE PIECE: Season 3 just got a whole lot hotter!! 🔥 We are beyond excited to announce that Xolo Maridueña will be playing the beloved Portgas D. Ace in the next stretch of our adventure! 😆 🔥 pic.twitter.com/MqrKjiZmGD
— ONE PIECE(ワンピース) Netflix (@onepiecenetflix) November 5, 2025
When could One Piece season 3 premiere on Netflix?
With the latest casting, which just followed the news that Cole Escola would join the series in a series regular role, there’s no doubt that fans want to see the story play out. The bad news is we’re a fair way off One Piece season 3.
The second season is set to be released in March 2026. With the three-year wait between the first two seasons, there is concern that we’ll have to wait until 2029 for season 3, but that shouldn’t be the case with production underway. Could we get it in 2027? Let’s hope!
One Piece is available to stream on Netflix.