Los Angeles: Lionsgate has partnered with Sony Pictures for its high-profile feature adaptation of Naruto, with the live-action project officially greenlit to begin production in spring 2027.
The Deal
The agreement, which came after competitive, multi-studio bidding, will see Sony co-finance the movie and take on international distribution. Lionsgate will continue to oversee development and production and handle domestic distribution.
Destin Daniel Cretton is writing the script and will direct and produce, following his $2.5 billion success with Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
That Sony’s motion picture group, headed by Tom Rothman, would come out on top seems almost pre-ordained: Cretton signed a three-year first-look producing deal with the studio in September, and Sony — headquartered in Japan — is also home to Crunchyroll, the largest anime-focused streaming service.
The Statements
“With their deep expertise in manga and anime and global distribution prowess, Sony Pictures is a perfect partner for Naruto, and we’re thrilled to join forces with Tom Rothman and his team to bring this extraordinary property to audiences around the world,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson.
“We share an enormous ambition for Naruto and a commitment to making this a truly global cinematic event that stays true to what millions of existing fans love and invites so many more to embrace what makes it truly special.”
Fogelson also credited Erin Westerman, James Myers and Helen Lee-Kim, along with producers Ari Arad and Tetsu Fujimura.
Stated Rothman: “Lionsgate has done a masterful job in putting together an A-level adaptation, and we are honored to be chosen as their partner. Not to mention, we had a sweet success this summer with Destin and are delighted to be back in his capable hands.”
Cretton on the Material
“As a longtime fan of Naruto, I’ve always loved that beneath the extraordinary action is a story filled with heart, humor, and humanity. Kishimoto-sensei created a world where unlikely heroes do extraordinary things, and that’s what makes it so special,” Cretton said.
“Lionsgate has been an incredible partner, and I’m thrilled to reunite with the fantastic team at Sony. Together, we’re committed to capturing everything fans love about Naruto while introducing it to a whole new generation.”
The Property
Naruto is the coming-of-age story of a young, enthusiastic ninja named Naruto Uzumaki who wants to grow up to be the leader of his ninja village — but also happens to have the spirit of a nine-tailed demon fox inside him.
The story was serialised in Japan’s Weekly Shonen Jump from 1999 to 2014 and later spawned popular animated series that ran for years on Cartoon Network and Disney XD. Masashi Kishimoto’s manga has sold more than 250 million copies across over 60 countries and territories, growing into a multibillion-dollar franchise, while the anime has reached audiences in more than 145 countries.
Casting and Production
Charles Melton is the only actor on board so far, said to be playing Kakashi Hatake, the elite ninja mentor to the main character and his friends. The search for the actor to play Naruto is currently underway.
Avi Arad, Ari Arad and Emmy Yu are producing for Arad Productions. Cretton is producing alongside Jeyun Munford through his company, Hisako. Erin Westerman and James Myers are overseeing the project for Lionsgate.
