Netflix Reveals Joe Manganiello as Crocodile Ahead of ‘One Piece’ Season 3

Avatar photoValentina Kraljik
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Netflix’s live-action ‘One Piece’ has achieved what many video game and anime adaptations struggle to do, garnering genuine enthusiasm from both long-time manga fans and newcomers. The first season premiered with an impressive 86% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and the excitement has only grown as the series delves deeper into Eiichiro Oda’s expansive source material.

In Season 2, the Straw Hat Pirates journeyed through the Loguetown, Whiskey Peak, Little Garden, and Drum Island arcs, introducing several new members of the secretive organization Baroque Works. True to the original material, the season’s main antagonist remained mostly hidden, making only brief and mysterious appearances as the enigmatic Mr. 0 until the final moments of the season.

That brief glimpse is about to evolve into a significant presence. Netflix has unveiled new footage featuring Joe Manganiello on set as Crocodile in anticipation of the show’s upcoming third season, officially titled “The Battle of Alabasta,” offering fans their clearest look yet at the character who will lead the next major storyline.

Crocodile, known within Baroque Works as Mr. 0, is a Warlord of the Sea whose sand-based Devil Fruit powers make him one of the franchise’s most visually striking villains. The season 2 finale revealed him conversing with Miss All Sunday, revealing her true identity as Nico Robin and initiating his so-called Operation Utopia, a storyline that will now unfold fully as the Straw Hats and Princess Vivi race to prevent him from taking control of Alabasta.

Manganiello, recognized for his roles in ‘True Blood’ and as Deathstroke in Zack Snyder’s DC Universe, has expressed how much this role means to him personally. After viewing some of his footage as Crocodile, he told Eva Carducci on Instagram that it was about the coolest thing he thinks he’s ever done, likening the franchise’s tone to a wild, half-remembered dream about pirates.

Behind the scenes, the creative team has described the process of developing Crocodile’s world with a carefully crafted visual style. Showrunner Joe Tracz shared with TheWrap that the character’s introduction in season two placed him in a classic Bond lair, featuring an underwater view of fish swimming past his office window, alongside hints of something much larger that will be revealed when season three arrives.

This Bond-villain framing aligns perfectly with how the show has built anticipation for the character over more than a year through teases, first-look photos, and carefully crafted interviews. Manganiello was confirmed for the role back in 2024, and the creative team has maintained that he was the only actor ever considered for the part from the very start of casting discussions.

With filming for season three well underway and Netflix actively promoting Manganiello’s transformation into the character, “The Battle of Alabasta” is poised to deliver the long-awaited confrontation between Crocodile and Luffy that manga fans have been eagerly anticipating since Crocodile’s brief season two appearance. Co-showrunner Tracz has previously characterized Luffy as a punch-first, ask-questions-later type of hero, a dynamic that should clash dramatically with Crocodile’s more strategic, behind-the-scenes approach to villainy when the two finally meet in full.

This season also holds added importance for the broader Baroque Works storyline, as Crocodile’s revelation of Nico Robin at the end of season two sets the stage for one of the manga’s more emotionally charged character arcs. How the show balances this character-driven narrative with the larger action sequences promised by Crocodile’s sand-based powers will likely influence how fans ultimately perceive the season upon its release.

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