It’s the age of the adaptation. And one particular live-action anime/manga adaptation has been in the zeitgeist for quite a while. We first heard reports of a live-action Naruto movie in 2015. At the time, Lionsgate was in negotiations for the film rights to the franchise. And it was reported that Michael Gracey would helm the live-action Naruto movie, acting as its director. But since that exciting announcement, very little progress has happened with this film. But, here we are, over ten years later, and finally, it looks like momentum is picking up for the Naruto live-action movie. Most recently, we learned that Destin Daniel Cretton will write and direct this anime adaptation. Reports also indicate that Charles Melton may play Kakashi Hatake. Here’s what we know about this adaptation so far.
The Live-Action Naruto Movie Will Be Written and Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton
Destin Daniel Cretton, who was responsible for co-writing and directing the MCU’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, will now help the Naruto live-action movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Additionally, Cretton will produce alongside Avi Arad, Ari Arad and Emmy Yu of Arad Productions.
According to the publication, Destin Daniel Cretton even has the approval of Naruto creator, Masashi Kishimoto. Kishimoto notes in a statement, “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 Naturo. 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.”
We’re excited to hear this news about the Naruto live-action film after such a long development.
What Else Do We Know About This Anime/Manga Adaptation?
Additionally, recent reports indicate that Charles Melton is in final talks to play the important Naruto character, Kakashi Hatake, in the live-action movie. Kakashi Hatake is an incredibly popular character. As our own Dan Casey puts it, “For those who don’t know, Kakashi is Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke’s mentor. While he’s usually pretty laid-back and prefers to read his hornt up books, he is one of the deadliest ninjas in the Hidden Leaf Village. Also one of the best characters in the series.”
Of course, we don’t know any official casting information for the live-action Naruto yet. But it’s not too early for fans to get their dream casting lists together. Hopefully, we’ll get to hear more about this adaptation soon.
Originally published on Februrary 23, 2024.