One Piece's Epic Remake Sets Release Date, Anime Fans Rejoice!

Netflix unveiled its comprehensive upcoming animation slate for 2026 and beyond at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, making it a highly anticipated Wednesday showcase. The presentation featured a wave of guests, enchanting animation fans worldwide with new details and first looks at various projects.

Headlining the event, two-time Academy Award winner Brad Bird engaged in an in-depth conversation with fellow Academy Award-winning director and Aardman co-founder, Peter Lord. Bird revealed new images and never-before-seen clips from his highly anticipated feature film, ‘Ray Gunn.’ This urban, futuristic sci-fi noir adventure, inspired by genre classics and Bird’s admiration for "Chinatown," has been a passion project for over 30 years, finally retrieved from a Hollywood vault and now set for a global release on December 18, 2026. The film will feature Venus Nova (Scarlett Johansson) and Raymond Gunn (Sam Rockwell).

Beyond original stories, Netflix also shared significant updates on its flagship anime project, “The One Piece.” This brand new anime adaptation, produced by WIT Studio (known for "Spy x Family" and "Attack on Titan"), is set for a global release in February 2027. It will return to the very beginning of the original manga’s East Blue saga, distinguishing itself from the long-running TV anime series. Directed by Masashi Koizuka, “The One Piece” utilizes cutting-edge modern technology to offer a familiar yet fresh take on Luffy's early adventures, aiming for an expressive, high-quality modern anime feel. Director Koizuka emphasized the vision of an "awe-inspiring" naval action-adventure, focusing on Luffy’s dream to be King of the Pirates and the uncharted waters he encounters. The series will feature Mayumi Tanaka as the Japanese voice of Luffy and will closely adhere to Eiichiro Oda's manga, avoiding the censorship the original anime sometimes endured. The first season is confirmed to span seven episodes, covering roughly the first fifty chapters of the manga, including Luffy gathering his crew members like Zorro, Usopp, Nami, and his encounter leading up to Sanji at the Baratie. Early concept art also hinted at a visit to Windmill Village, where Luffy's dream began with the Red-Hair Pirates and Captain Shanks.

Another beloved IP joining the Netflix animation 2027 slate is “Ghostbusters: Night Shift,” a young adult animated series from Sony Pictures Animation. Executive producers Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan, alongside showrunners Ben Hibbon and Elliott Kalan, and executive producers Amie Karp and Dan Aykroyd, revealed first looks and concept art. The series is set five years after the Ghostbusters took the Statue of Liberty for a walk, following untrained, underappreciated, and somewhat responsible young New Yorkers as they face a new wave of supernatural terror in the Big Apple, compelling them to don proton packs and bust ghosts. The heavily stylized characters and new take on legacy objects garnered enthusiastic reactions from the Annecy audience.

Further announcements included Ricky Gervais’ adult comedy series “Alley Cats,” scheduled for an August 7 release, featuring Jo Hartley, Diane Morgan, David Earl, Andrew Brooke, and Tom Basden alongside Gervais as Gus. Netflix also showcased footage from “Charlie vs the Chocolate Factory,” a film directed by Jared Stern and Elaine Bogan, with Taika Waititi as Wonka and Kit Connor as the lead voice actor among new teenage characters within the factory, promising a fast-paced, thrilling, and colorful adventure for young audiences. New images for “Steps,” slated for a November 20 global release, were presented by John Ripa and Alyce Tzue. Additionally, Cannes' Netflix pick-up title “In Waves” will be released globally (excluding France) on December 11.

Netflix also showcased other "One Piece" related content, separate from the main anime adaptation. A two-part LEGO One Piece special, produced in partnership with LEGO Group, Shueisha, and Atomic, is set to launch on September 27. This humorous, brick-laden package will tackle the first two seasons of the live-action series. Production for Season 3 of the live-action "One Piece" is actively underway in Cape Town, adapting the Alabasta Saga, with new cast members like Cole Escola as Bon Clay and larger sets, which Eiichiro Oda has expressed excitement for.

These announcements underscore Netflix’s continued dominance in animation, with over 130 million members globally watching animated titles monthly and anime programming exceeding 1.5 billion views in 2025. This follows an unprecedented year for Netflix Animation, marked by the two Academy Awards win for "KPop Demon Hunters" (Netflix’s most popular film of all time), 13 Annie Award wins (including three for "Love, Death + Robots"), and "Ultraman: Rising" securing Children and Family Emmy Awards.