In addition to being an Academy Award-winning and Emmy Award-nominated actress, Jamie Lee Curtis is also a big fan of the manga/anime One Piece. So much so that last year, she said she would “lobby” to play Dr. Kureha in the live-action adaptation that can be streamed with a Netflix subscription, and showrunner Matt Owens said he and his team were trying to “manifest” adding her to the cast. Unfortunately, Curtis won’t play Kureha after all in One Piece Season 2, but I am glad to hear some positive updates that other producers shared about that character and one of the best Netflix shows’ future.
Why Jamie Lee Curtis Won’t Be In One Piece
Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements, the respective CEO and president of Tomorrow Studios, spoke with Deadline about some of the upcoming TV shows the company has coming up, which includes One Piece Season 2. On the subject of Jamie Lee Curtis, the producers shared that the actress was simply too busy to make time for the series, with Clements saying:
She loves the show. She has too many films and TV shows that she’s going into production on so our production dates aren’t going to work. She definitely wanted to do it but she’s got deals in first position, and it just became complicated.
I can’t say I’m surprised since at the end of June, I was worried that Curtis wouldn’t be able to participate in One Piece given that she just started filming Freaky Friday 2. It’s nice to have to that confirmation, but on a brighter note, Clements added that the show has found “an amazing person” to play Dr. Kureha, the woman who adopted Tony Tony Chopper and taught him the medical sciences. Given that the last several weeks have brought the first wave of Season 2 castings, including David Dastmalchian as Mr. 3, it’s possible we could learn the identity of this actor pretty soon. Whether that’s the case or if that reveal a longer ways off, I’m looking forward to seeing how this person does bringing Dr. Kureha to life.
The Producers Intend For One Piece To Go For A Long Time
In September 2023, just a few weeks after One Piece Season 1 premiered on one of the best streaming services, Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements mentioned that they had a plan for at least six seasons of the live-action adaptation, While they weren’t willing go provide a specific number this time around, Clements did say plans have been laid out for the series to last a long time. When asked how far ahead they’re planning, she answered:
We have those plans. Matt Owens has it in his head, it’s just a matter of our partners who’ve been amazing, wanting to keep moving forward, but we are creatively prepared, I’ll say that... We have multiple seasons that we can talk about.
I’m certainly excited by the prospect of seeing Netflix’s One Piece last for a long time, and it’s smart for Matt Owens to map out what awaits these versions of Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates rather than just figure it out season by season. Of course, whether One Piece lasts six seasons or longer is another matter entirely, as the streamer’s live-action shows rarely last longer than five seasons. Also, the One Piece manga and anime are still running, with the former comprising 109 volumes as of this writing. So it’s unlikely that the live-action show will end the same way, leaving Owens and the writers to craft their own unique ending. Then there’s the matter of certain arcs like Impel Down and Marineford requiring a much bigger budget to pull off effectively, but I’m hopeful Netflix would shell out the necessary funds.
For now, One Piece fans can just be excited that Season 2 is filming in South Africa now and will finish rolling cameras in December, meaning it will likely premiere sometime in 2025. For shows set to arrive later this year, consult our 2024 TV schedule.
