‎Xolo Maridueña Joins Netflix's 'One Piece' Season 3 as Portgas D. Ace

By: Shawn
‎Xolo Maridueña, known for his breakout role in Cobra Kai, has officially joined Netflix’s One Piece live-action series. The actor will portray Portgas D. Ace in the upcoming third season of the hit adaptation, which is scheduled to begin production later this year in Cape Town, South Africa.
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‎Xolo Maridueña joins Netflix’s One Piece Season 3 as Portgas D. Ace, with production set in Cape Town and a 2026 premiere for Season 2.
‎Peter Yang/Netflix
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‎Netflix’s One Piece is a live-action reimagining of Eiichiro Oda’s record-breaking Japanese manga, the best-selling manga series of all time. The story follows Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat crew on an epic quest across the seas to discover the legendary treasure known as the One Piece and fulfill Luffy’s dream of becoming King of the Pirates.
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‎Since its debut in 2023, One Piece has become one of Netflix’s most successful global titles. The first season held a spot on the streamer’s Global Top 10 for eight consecutive weeks, topped charts in over 75 countries, and achieved a milestone as the first English-language Netflix series to reach No. 1 in Japan.
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‎Maridueña’s casting continues his streak of high-profile roles. The actor recently led DC’s 2023 superhero film Blue Beetle, where he portrayed Jaime Reyes. DC Studios co-chair James Gunn has noted that the character still has a place in the studio’s evolving cinematic universe, though future appearances have not yet been confirmed.
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‎Before fans see Maridueña’s debut as Portgas D. Ace, One Piece: Into the Grand Line—the show’s second season—is slated to premiere on March 10, 2026.

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