Lionsgate and director Destin Daniel Cretton has kicked off a worldwide search for the main cast.
The production for the live-action movie adaptation for the popular manga and anime franchise “Naruto” has already begun. Major film studio Lionsgate and director Destin Daniel Cretton announced via social media that they are going global to cast the three main Team 7 members: Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno. Casting for other characters will soon follow.
Naruto live-action movie
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Film studio: Lionsgate
Release date: TBA
What did Lionsgate and Cretton say about their worldwide casting call for the Naruto live-action movie?
Global casting preparations have begun for the Naruto live-action movie as the director and film studio want to cast a wide net and catch the best young actors to play the roles of the iconic characters from Naruto.
In his Instagram post, Cretton said:
“Kishimoto-sensei's stories have inspired generations of fans around the world, and it’s an honor to bring his world and characters to the big screen in live action for the very first time. I'm thrilled to kick off this worldwide casting search for our Team 7 and to bring the incredible universe of Naruto to life!”
The creator of the Naruto manga Masashi Kishimoto said:
“Right now, miracles are happening to me, one after another. My work, Naruto, is truly, truly becoming a Hollywood movie! And an even greater miracle is that the film will be directed by the one and only Destin Daniel Cretton. I still cannot believe it! If so many miracles have already come together, then let us hope for even more. I am eagerly looking forward to the miraculous encounters that will bring us extraordinary and passionate actors! I cannot wait to meet my characters in the film!”
Destin Daniel Cretton previously also directed box-office hit superhero movies such as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. He is also producing the film through his company Hisako with Jeyun Munford. Avi and Ari Arad from Arad Productions and Emmy Yu are also listed as producers for the project.
Fans have a lot of hope as he has taken the reins of the Naruto live-action movie and are hoping for great results. However, given the less-than-stellar track record of anime to live-action adaptations, whether or not Cretton succeeds remains to be seen. Moreover, the live-action adaptation was confirmed in 2015, and spent 10 years in developmental hell before finally announcing some good news for the fans. But we still don't know when the movie will actually come out.
What is Naruto about?
Naruto is an extremely popular Japanese manga series written and illustrated by mangaka Masashi Kishimoto. It began publication in 1996 in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine and ended in 2014. It also has a spin-off titled Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, which started in 2016. Currently, the sequel being published monthly is titled Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, which is a timeskip of the previous Boruto manga.
Naruto also received a globally beloved anime adaptation in 2002, ending in 2007. The next series, Naruto: Shippuden began in the same year and concluded in 2017.
Viz Media publishes the Naruto manga in English and describes the story as:
Twelve years ago the Village Hidden in the Leaves was attacked by a fearsome threat. A nine-tailed fox spirit claimed the life of the village leader, the Hokage, and many others. Today, the village is at peace and a troublemaking kid named Naruto is struggling to graduate from Ninja Academy. His goal may be to become the next Hokage, but his true destiny will be much more complicated. The adventure begins now!