The live-action Naruto movie is finally moving toward production, and it has a major new partner behind it. Sony Pictures has joined Lionsgate on the long-awaited adaptation of Masashi Kishimoto’s manga, agreeing to co-finance the film and handle its international distribution. Lionsgate has officially greenlit the project, with cameras expected to roll in spring 2027.
The film will be written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who is also producing. Cretton is coming off Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which the report describes as a $2.5 billion success, and will reunite with Sony following his work on the Marvel movie. He also signed a three-year first-look producing deal with the studio in September, making this another project bringing him together with Sony.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the partnership followed competitive bidding from multiple studios. Under the arrangement, Lionsgate will continue overseeing development and production while handling domestic distribution. Sony will co-finance the feature and take responsibility for releasing it internationally. Sony’s involvement also brings a connection to Crunchyroll, the anime-focused streaming service that is part of the company’s entertainment business.
Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson said the companies share an ambition to make Naruto a global cinematic event while remaining true to the property that its existing fans love. Sony Motion Picture Group chairman and CEO Tom Rothman also praised the work Lionsgate has done developing the adaptation, saying his studio was honored to be selected as its partner.
Cretton has described himself as a longtime Naruto fan. In his statement, he pointed to the heart, humor, and humanity beneath the series’ action, and said the filmmakers intend to capture what fans already love while introducing the story to a new generation.
There is still plenty of casting to be done. Charles Melton is currently the only actor attached to the film, and he is reportedly set to play Kakashi Hatake, the elite ninja mentor who becomes an important figure in Naruto’s life. The search for the actor who will play Naruto Uzumaki is underway. No other cast members have been announced.
Avi Arad, Ari Arad, and Emmy Yu are producing for Arad Productions. Cretton is producing alongside Jeyun Munford through his company, Hisako. Lionsgate executives Erin Westerman and James Myers are overseeing the project, while the studio’s development and production team will continue shepherding the adaptation.
For anyone unfamiliar with the property, Naruto follows a young ninja named Naruto Uzumaki, who dreams of becoming the leader of his village, despite being treated as an outsider because the spirit of a nine-tailed demon fox is sealed inside him. His coming-of-age story follows his efforts to earn the respect of the people around him, build friendships, and prove that he can become a great ninja.
Kishimoto’s manga first appeared in Japan’s Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999 and ran until 2014. Across that 15-year serialization, the story grew far beyond its original comic-book audience. The manga has sold more than 250 million copies across over 60 countries and territories, making Naruto one of the most widely recognized manga franchises in the world.
The animated adaptations helped turn that success into a worldwide phenomenon. Naruto and its follow-up series, Naruto: Shippuden, ran for years and introduced the characters to generations of viewers. In the United States, the anime became familiar to audiences through broadcasts on Cartoon Network and Disney XD. The animated franchise has reached viewers in more than 145 countries and territories, while the wider property has expanded into films, video games, merchandise, and a huge international fan community.
That reach helps explain why the live-action adaptation has attracted so much attention, even as it has spent years in development. Turning a long-running manga and anime into a feature film means finding a way to introduce Naruto’s world to newcomers without losing the characters and relationships that longtime fans have followed for years. Cretton will have to bring that story to a new format while working with a property that already has a massive audience and a very clear identity.
The spring 2027 production target gives the project its most concrete step forward yet. With Sony now sharing the financial commitment and international release duties, Lionsgate has moved Naruto into its next stage. The lead role remains uncast, but the movie now has its director, production plan, and major studio partners in place.
