Production is underway for One Piece Season 2, and we've seen some stellar casting announcements so far. David Dastmalchian is playing Mr. 3, and internet sleuths sniffed out that Dr. Kureha will be portrayed by Katey Sagal before it was officially announced. It seems the fans may be on the trail of yet another noteworthy casting, as they think a major character is being played by Magic Mike and Justice League vet Joe Manganiello.
As we still wait to hear whether the rumors about Xolo Maridueña playing Ace are true, some exciting speculation has emerged hinting that Manganiello was tapped to play the Warlord of the Sea, Crocodile. It's a casting I'd love to see, but is the evidence supporting it credible?
Here's what fans are pointing to so far that has sparked the belief that Maganiello will show up as Crocodile when we stream One Piece Season 2 with our Netflix subscription.
Joe Manganiello's Hosting Gigs Have Fans Convinced He's Playing Crocodile
Rumors that Joe Manganiello has joined the cast of One Piece sparked up once again with the announcement of Netflix's Geeked Week 2024. It's readily assumed that the streaming service will unveil more news about Season 2, and it just so happens that Manganiello was tapped to host the event, as seen in the post below.
Geeked Week 2024's main host is none other than JOE MANGANIELLO! tune in live for the biggest updates on your favorite Netflix series, movies and games on September 19 -- you won't want to miss it. #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/Yo2JnyQi1lSeptember 9, 2024
That alone does not sell the idea that One Piece locked him in as Crocodile, but other strange coincidences line up. For example, we know that Manganiello partnered with Netflix and provided voicework for the 2020 anime follow up to Army Of the Dead. While the project has purportedly been shelved indefinitely, actors who work with Netflix tend to stick around for multiple projects, so I think it helps the theory.
Fans are also scouring Joe Manganiello's Instagram for clues and pulling up photos that could be innocent at face value but also cryptic clues alluding to the role. For example, check out the second photo in his post about Deal or No Deal Island Season 2, where he can be seen holding a crocodile.
If I were filming on an island and someone let me hold a baby crocodile and pose for a photo, I'd certainly do it without it being a cryptic hint at my professional future. That said, hopeful fans can't help but think that this could be a possible clue that he'd be able to cheekily point to after a hypothetical casting reveal. Like I said, none of the above is truly convincing on its own, but the combination is enticing.
This is also the case with this other Instagram photo, in which One Piece fans questioned Joe Manganiello making an appearance at an MLB game for a pretty coincidental team.
Would Joe Manganiello attend a Pittsburgh Pirates game merely for the sake of stealth-promoting a future role on One Piece? I'm skeptical of that, especially since Manganiello is indeed a Pittsburgh native. So I'm more inclined to believe he was just attending a baseball game for his hometown team. BUT! Can two things be true at the same time? Certainly.
Joe Manganiello Would Be The Perfect Casting For Crocodile
Assuming this casting is anywhere near legitimate, I can't think of a better person to play Crocodile for One Piece. If Joe Manganiello never gets to reprise his role as Deathstroke, playing Crocodile would provide similar vibes, though with very different abilities. As one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Crocodile remains one of the more powerful figures of One Piece and one of Luffy's rivals as the story continues.
Crocodile is intimidating, strong, and looks damn good smoking a cigar. Manganiello checks all those boxes, plus he's on the record as being pretty geeky. If he is playing Crocodile, I could see him taking it very seriously, and giving us a performance that is very faithful to the character. For that reason, I hope this rumor is true, even if some of the evidence supporting it is shaky.
One Piece Season 2 is on the way to Netflix, but we don't have a release date just yet. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend as we learn more details about what's on the way, and get pumped up for more adventures happening in the live-action adaptation!
