Following the astronomical success of Netflix‘s live-action One Piece adaptation, one of Marvel‘s best directors is getting in on the action for a live-action remake of one of the most beloved anime franchises of all time. Months after the news that Destin Daniel Cretton, the filmmaker behind Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Wonder Man, and the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, would be developing a live-action Naruto reimagining, the project has now taken its biggest step forward yet. In a new Instagram post, Cretton and Naruto co-creator Masashi Kishimoto officially announced that pre-production has begun, with the search for Team 7’s actors now underway.
The Naruto remake movie’s studio, Lionsgate, confirmed the news that the global search for Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura has begun, along with statements from both Destin Daniel Cretton and Masashi Kishimoto. Destin Daniel Cretton shares his immense excitement to bring Kishimoto-sensei’s story to life, calling it “an honor to bring his world and characters to the big screen in live action for the very first time.” As for Kishimoto-sensei, he called Cretton‘s upcoming Hollywood production “miraculous” and had high praise for the Marvel filmmaker.
The upcoming adaptation comes at a perfect time, as Naruto‘s fellow Shueisha franchise One Piece is widely credited as the live-action anime adaptation that broke the genre’s curse after years of dubious attempts to recreate the art form without animation. Not only was the Netflix series praised by fans and critics for its faithfulness to the source material and impressive production value, but One Piece was such a large success that Netflix approved a third season before Season 2 even released. Kishimoto-sensei‘s involvement with the upcoming Naruto movie is also a very positive sign, as much of One Piece‘s success can also be contributed to the hands-on creative involvement of that manga’s creator, Eiichiro Oda.
Destin Daniel Cretton Is the Perfect Person for a Live-Action ‘Naruto’ Movie
The live-action Naruto movie comes 5 years after Destin Daniel Cretton first broke out into the Marvel scene with Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which received wide acclaim for its practical martial arts and action set-pieces (all things Naruto is well-known for). While development on an already announced Shang-Chi 2 has been slow, Cretton has stuck with Marvel for the Disney+ series Wonder Man, which just received a historic Emmy nomination. Finally, the director will hit a hat trick of MCU stories with one of the most anticipated movies of the year, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Jon Bernthal just 2 weeks after they star in Christopher Nolan‘s The Odyssey.
The live-action Naruto movie is now in development. Until then, Destin Daniel Cretton‘s Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters on July 31, 2026.
via Collider