‘One Piece’ Co-Showrunner Matt Owens Exits Netflix Series After Season 2 Filming to ‘Focus on My Mental Health’

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Matt Owens, a joint manager of Netflix’s live-action interpretation of the highly acclaimed manga “One Piece”, has decided to step away from the project. He expressed the necessity to prioritize his mental wellbeing and undergo therapy as reasons for his departure. The first season of “One Piece” was released in 2023, with production on Season 2 having concluded not long ago.

The news came in an Instagram post on Owen’s personal page.

For the past 6 years, working on the live-action adaptation of One Piece has been an incredible, life-altering journey – a dream realized. Yet, it’s also been incredibly demanding. Therefore, I’m choosing to leave the Going Merry temporarily to focus on my wellbeing and mental health. I am deeply grateful to Oda, Shueisha, Tomorrow Studios, Netflix, and the entire cast and crew for your faith, collaboration, and tireless effort. For now, I plan to take a break, engage in some therapy, challenge myself in Marvel Rivals, and return rejuvenated for the exciting journeys ahead. Thank you to everyone who has supported me; I’ll see you again soon!”

– or –

“Over the past six years, working on the live-action One Piece has been an amazing, life-changing adventure that I never thought possible. But it’s also been a lot of hard work! So, I’ve decided to step off the Going Merry for a while to focus on myself and my mental health. I want to express my gratitude to Oda, Shueisha, Tomorrow Studios, Netflix, and the entire cast and crew for your trust, partnership, and dedication. For now, I plan to take some time off, seek therapy, test my skills in Marvel Rivals, and come back refreshed for the new adventures that lie ahead. Thank you to everyone who has supported me; see you soon!

Owen received backing from Netflix regarding his choice. The official “One Piece” account reshared his post on their Instagram story and commented, “You’ve steered us towards something genuinely remarkable.

In the first season, Owens shared the role of co-showrunner with Steven Maeda, a position they earned after collaborating on developing the series. Before the start of Season 2, Maeda relinquished his showrunning role but retained his executive producer status. Joe Tracz then took over as showrunner, and he has continued to guide the series following Owens’ departure.

The cast of “One Piece” includes Iñaki Godoy, Mackenyu, Emily Rudd, Jacob Romero, and Taz Skylar. This series is a joint production between Shueisha, Tomorrow Studios, and Netflix. In addition to Tracz and Maeda, the executive producers are Eiichiro Oda, Marty Adelstein, and Becky Clements.

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2025-03-22 01:16