Xolo Maridueña Joins Netflix’s One Piece Season 3 as Ace for The Battle of Alabasta

Netflix has officially cast Xolo Maridueña as Portgas D. Ace for the upcoming third season of its live-action One Piece series. Maridueña, best known for Cobra Kai and Blue Beetle, will portray one of Luffy’s most important allies as the adaptation moves into the Alabasta storyline in One Piece: The Battle of Alabasta.

The casting was announced by Netflix alongside other major Season 3 additions, including Cole Escola as Bon Clay, Daisy Head as Miss Doublefinger and Awdo Awdo as Mr. 1. Netflix has since confirmed that production on the third season has wrapped in Cape Town, South Africa, with the new episodes scheduled to arrive in 2027. Netflix Tudum confirms Maridueña as Ace and identifies The Battle of Alabasta as the season’s title.

Xolo Maridueña’s Ace Debut Adds Another Major Character

Ace’s introduction is particularly significant because he is the older sworn brother of Monkey D. Luffy and becomes an important figure in the wider story. His addition also gives the third season another major character from the original manga as the Straw Hats become increasingly involved in the conflict surrounding Vivi and the kingdom of Alabasta.

Netflix first announced Maridueña’s casting in November 2025, when production on Season 3 began in Cape Town. The actor was confirmed alongside Escola, who is playing Bon Clay, with Netflix highlighting Maridueña’s previous role as Miguel Diaz across all six seasons of Cobra Kai. Netflix Tudum

The scale of the new season is also becoming clearer as more production details emerge. Netflix’s latest update confirms that the Straw Hats’ next adventure will center on the Alabasta conflict, with Charithra Chandran returning as Vivi and Joe Manganiello, Lera Abova and Sendhil Ramamurthy receiving expanded roles as Crocodile, Miss All Sunday and King Cobra, respectively.

Maridueña has also offered a glimpse at the enormous practical work involved in bringing Alabasta to life. In promotional footage shared around the casting news, he joked about the sheer amount of sand used for the production, admitting that he could not tell whether there were “10,000 tons of sand or 100,000 tons.” The comment provides an idea of the production’s scale as Netflix attempts to recreate the desert kingdom’s distinctive look in live action.

Season 2, One Piece: Into the Grand Line, premiered on March 10, 2026, and set up the Straw Hats’ eventual arrival in Alabasta. Netflix’s official ending breakdown confirms that the next season will continue the story from that point, with Ace among the new characters joining the adventure. Netflix Tudum

With production now complete and the Alabasta storyline confirmed as the focus, Xolo Maridueña’s Ace will be one of the most closely watched new additions when Netflix’s One Piece Season 3 arrives in 2027.