Lionsgate Announces Live-Action Naruto Movie with Director Destin Daniel Cretton Attached
Lionsgate chairman Adam Fogelson has unveiled plans for a live-action adaptation of the popular anime and manga series Naruto. Set to be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, known for his work on Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings, the film is set to be one of the most recent live-action adaptations of popular animes or manga.
The adaptation, produced by Jeyun Munford’s Hisako production company, has drawn the involvement of Hollywood producers, including Jeremy Latchum, Avi Arad, Ari Arad, and Emmy Yu of Arad Productions. Expressing his confidence in the project, Fogelson emphasized the shared vision of the team and the potential to captivate both long-time fans of the series and newcomers.
Naruto, originally a widely popular manga created by Masashi Kishimoto, has earned global acclaim and a massive following, akin to megahits like Dragon Ball Z. With over 250 million copies sold across 60 countries, the story follows Naruto Uzumaki, a Shinobi with a powerful nine-tailed fox spirit sealed within him, as he aspires to become the revered village leader, Hokage, despite facing ostracism from his community.
Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto, expressed his enthusiasm for Cretton’s involvement, citing the director’s ability to blend compelling drama with exceptional action. Cretton, who was initially linked to Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, is also attached to other adaptations such as the Disney+ adaptation of American Born Chinese.
Whether you love them or hate them, live-action anime adaptations have become more and more prominent with the popularity of anime and manga crossing over into other regions. We have seen some adaptations become hits going back to the 2008 adaption of Speed Racer and also Alita: Battle Angel, and more recently Cowboy Bebop, One Piece, Zom 100, and Avatar: The Last Airbender.
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