It’s been over 10 years since it was first announced that a live-action adaptation of beloved manga series Naruto was in the works, but finally we’ve just got a major update.
Production company Lionsgate and director Destin Daniel Cretton, who is best known for his work on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, have announced that a global casting search is underway for the film.
The casting search will be looking for stars to play Team 7, made up of three young shinobi, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura.
Cretton posted a photo of himself with the Naruto’s creator, Masashi Kishimoto, on Instagram, along with a statement saying: “Kishimoto-sensei’s stories have inspired generations of fans around the world, and it’s an honour 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!”
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Meanwhile, 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!”
The original Naruto manga ran between 1999 and 2014, while two anime series adapting the stories ran between 2002 and 2007, and 2007 and 2017.
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Cretton’s next film to be released will be the highly anticipated next entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Tom Holland, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are reprising their roles from the Spider-Man film series, while Sadie Sink is joining as a new character.
The film will also see at least two major crossovers with other Marvel properties, as Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner/The Hulk and Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle/The Punisher are set to appear in major roles.
We’ll have a while to wait for the Naruto live-action movie, but you can check out the trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day below.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
