Sony and Lionsgate have teamed up for the live-action Naruto movie, which is targeting a spring 2027 start date.
Sony and Lionsgate have confirmed they will work together on Destin Daniel Cretton’s live-action Naruto movie, with Lionsgate handling production and domestic distribution. Sony Pictures will handle international distribution. Lionsgate noted in a statement that Sony is a great partner for this specific project given its experience with anime and manga (Sony owns Crunchyroll, for instance).
“As a longtime fan of Naruto, I’ve always loved that beneath the extraordinary action is a story filled with heart, humor, and humanity,” said director Destin Daniel Cretton. “Kishimoto-sensei created a world where unlikely heroes do extraordinary things, and that’s what makes it so special. Lionsgate has been an incredible partner, and I’m thrilled to reunite with the fantastic team at Sony. Together, we’re committed to capturing everything fans love about Naruto while introducing it to a whole new generation. I can’t wait for everyone to see what we’re creating.”
The Naruto movie has officially been greenlit by Lionsgate and is now barreling toward a production start date of spring 2027. As a result, we should hear more news on casting in the coming weeks and months. There’s currently no confirmed cast for the film at the moment, but actor Charles Melton was reportedly in talks to play Kakashi back in August. Naruto will likely be one of the hottest projects in Hollywood ahead of its production start, with lots of younger actors likely trying to fight for a spot in the ensemble.
Destin Daniel Cretton just directed Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which grossed over $2.5 billion and became the third-highest-grossing film in history. Naturally, it makes sense that Sony would want to be involved with his next project, and it’s likely other people in Hollywood will want to get on board as well. Cretton also did a bang-up job on Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which has given audiences more confidence in his Naruto movie.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much precedent for great live-action adaptations of anime. Dragon Ball infamously got a live-action film known as Dragonball Evolution in 2009. It is genuinely awful and it may have scared Hollywood away from trying to adapt other anime after this. Maybe Naruto will crack the code, though.
Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN’s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.
