Sony Pictures and Lionsgate have teamed up for the live-action Naruto movie, which is now greenlit and targeting a spring 2027 production start date.
Naruto live-action movie (Credits: IGN)
Sony and Lionsgate Split Naruto Movie Duties
Under the new partnership, Lionsgate will handle production and domestic distribution, while Sony Pictures takes international distribution. Lionsgate noted that Sony is a great partner for this specific project given its experience with anime and manga — Sony owns Crunchyroll, after all.
The film is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, fresh off Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which grossed over $2.5 billion and became the third-highest-grossing film in history. Cretton also directed Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which has given audiences more confidence in his take on Naruto.
Naruto Movie Casting and Cretton’s Vision
“As a longtime fan of Naruto, I’ve always loved that beneath the extraordinary action is a story filled with heart, humor, and humanity,” Cretton said. “Kishimoto-sensei created a world where unlikely heroes do extraordinary things, and that’s what makes it so special.”
There’s currently no confirmed cast, but actor Charles Melton was reportedly in talks to play Kakashi back in August. With production starting in spring 2027, expect casting news in the coming weeks and months — Naruto will likely be one of the hottest projects in Hollywood, with younger actors lining up for the ensemble.
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Source: IGN — read the full story there.
