Eiichiro Oda Confirms a New One Piece Movie in Development

A new movie adaptation of the popular anime/manga franchise One Piece is officially in development, according to the franchise creator, Eiichiro Oda’s annual message, during Jump Festa 2026 in Japan. Oda’s message confirmed the untitled project; however, he stated that he is “not allowed to talk about it yet,” thus keeping the details tightly under wraps.

Oda’s message didn’t reveal information about the film’s story, release window, or whether it's a spin-off or canon movie. However, the confirmation itself is significant for the franchise.  It marks the first formal acknowledgment of a new theatrical One Piece feature since One Piece Film: Red in 2022. 

Oda suggested that while the movie is in the development phase, it’s not “progressing smoothly.” However, he asked fans to be patient for the new feature production. The movie is reportedly aimed for a full-theatrical release, since Oda mentioned that most of One Piece’s upcoming production is aimed for a global audience. 

Eiichiro Oda's One Piece’s Franchise Momentum in 2026

Even though most of the details are not announced, the announcement reinforces the franchise's long-term production roadmap, as the franchise enters a new production cycle with a new anime season, live-action update, and manga narrative. 

First serialized in 1997 in Weekly Shōnen Jump and adapted into a TV anime in 1999, One Piece has grown into one of the most commercially successful Japanese media properties in history.  The franchise’s previous theatrical release, One Piece Film: Red (2022), grossed more than $171 million USD worldwide, becoming one of the highest-grossing anime films and validating theatrical releases as a major revenue pillar for anime adaptations.

Beyond the newly confirmed One Piece movie, several parallel projects were announced during Jump Festa. Most notable of these were the announcements about the ending of the current Egghead arc, and a new season following the manga’s Elbaph arc. This new season, slated to release on April 5, 2026, marks a significant production adjustment for the One Piece franchise, as it moves away from its weekly release schedule and takes on the increasingly popular seasonal release structure.

Additionally, Netflix’s live-action One Piece, which debuted in 2023, is also set to return with its season 2, scheduled on Mar 10, 2026. Meanwhile, WIT Studio’s separate One Piece remake reimagining the early arcs with modern production standards remains in development. 

Taken together, these updates position the new movie not as a standalone event but as part of a coordinated, multi-format strategy designed to keep One Piece culturally and commercially dominant as it approaches the later stages of its narrative. Moreover, the confirmation of another One Piece movie underscores how theatrical films have become a core revenue stream for top-tier anime franchises.

The recent success of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle and Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc has already reshaped expectations for anime’s box office potential. With the new One Piece movie in production, it remains to be seen how it performs in comparison to the newer franchises.