Get Ready To Naruto Run To The Theater – Live-Action Movie Coming From Shang-Chi Director

Masashi Kishimoto's "Naruto" is one of the most popular manga of all time, with 250 million books sold worldwide. Its anime adaptation is no less famous and, when airing on Cartoon Network in the 2000s, helped normalize the medium among American audiences. And yet, it's the only one of the "Big Three" series published in the magazine Weekly Shonen Jump — alongside "One Piece" and "Bleach" — that hasn't made the transition to live-action. Until now.

Lionsgate is officially moving forward with a live-action "Naruto" film. The project had previously been reported on, but it currently has a writer/director: Destin Daniel Cretton, director of the Marvel Studios picture "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings."

In a Lionsgate press release, Cretton said of the project: "It was a true honor to meet Kishimoto-san in Tokyo and hear his expansive vision for his creation. We are very excited to collaborate and bring 'Naruto' to the big screen."

"Naruto" was published from 1999 to 2014. Set in a fantasy world reminiscent of feudal Japan (but with some modern technologies and magical chakra), the eponymous character is a young ninja who aspires to lead his village, the Hidden Leaf. The problem is that the people of the Hidden Leaf Village don't trust him; when Naruto was a baby, a monstrous Nine-Tailed Fox attacked the village and was sealed inside him. He trains to become a great ninja and earn their trust.

The action of "Naruto," which mixes hand-to-hand martial arts with glowing energy attacks, should be right in line with Cretton's skillset after "Shang-Chi."

Until November 2023, Cretton was set to direct "Avengers: The Kang Dynasty." Apparently, leaving that project hasn't dulled his desire to work in the blockbuster space. (He got started writing/directing smaller films, like the drama "Short Term 12."). The press release notes he is still set to direct a "Shang-Chi" sequel as well.

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Kishimoto, at least, gave his endorsement in the aforementioned press release:

"When I heard of Destin's attachment, it happened to be right after watching a blockbuster action film of his, and I thought he would be the perfect director for 'Naruto.' After enjoying his other films and understanding that his forte is in creating solid dramas about people, I became convinced that there is no other director for 'Naruto.' In actually meeting Destin, I also found him to be an open-minded director who was willing to embrace my input, and felt strongly that we would be able to cooperate together in the production process. To put it simply, the live-action 'Naruto' is bound to be a film with spectacular action and profound drama. I can't help but be excited for it."

If "Shang-Chi" was about family, "Naruto" is about friendship. Naruto trains to become a ninja alongside his rival Sasuke Uchiha, the brooding counterpart to Naruto's excitable silliness. Like Naruto, Sasuke is an orphan — his goal is to kill his older brother, Itachi, who killed the rest of their family but spared Sasuke, seemingly daring him to seek revenge. Naruto's journey is about his own growth and pulling Sasuke onto the right path.

No production date is set yet for "Naruto," nor is there any word about casting. Cretton is also producing the project alongside Jeyun Munford through his company, Hisako. Ari Arad and Emmy Yu will produce "Naruto" as well for Arad Productions alongside Jeremy Latcham.