There is exciting news for Naruto fans regarding the upcoming live-action film adaptation. Those who were concerned about how authentic and true to the original manga the movie would turn out can breathe easy. This is because Naruto’s creator Masashi Kishimoto himself will be closely involved in the production process.
It was announced on February 24th, 2024 that the film’s director will be Destin Daniel Cretton, known for directing the Marvel hit Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
In a statement, Cretton shared that he had met with Kishimoto in person in Japan. He expressed feeling honored to hear Kishimoto’s grand vision for Naruto and said he is eager to collaborate with the manga author on bringing the story to life on the big screen.
Kishimoto also gave high praise for Cretton, stating he is the perfect director for the Naruto live-action adaptation after watching one of his films. Kishimoto was convinced “There’s no other director for NARUTO than him.”
He confirmed that Cretton is fully open to his input and ideas and is willing to cooperate closely throughout the production process.
Kishimoto Praise for Destin Daniel Cretton
Kishimoto praised Cretton, saying that after watching one of his films, he thought Cretton was the perfect director for Naruto. Kishimoto was convinced “There’s no other director for NARUTO than him.”
He said Cretton was open to his input and willing to cooperate closely throughout production. Kishimoto said he was excited as the film was bound to have spectacular action and profound drama.
Even other staff like producers Avi Arad and Ari Arad said they couldn’t wait to collaborate with Kishimoto and Shueisha’s team.
They said working with the legendary Kishimoto and the esteemed Shueisha team has been an honor. They were beyond excited to have Cretton bringing the cherished saga to life.
Earlier in November 2023, it was reported screenwriter Tasha Huo, known for The Witcher prequel, would also be involved.
Cretton is producing alongside Jeyun Munford through his company. He previously worked with Lionsgate on The Glass Castle.
Lionsgate’s James Myers, who oversaw that project, will also oversee Naruto with Jon Humphrey.
More About Naruto
The Naruto manga series, written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto, was originally serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine from 1999 to 2014.
The series was released in 72 collected volumes.
Viz Media licensed the manga for English publication in North America. They serialized Naruto in their digital Weekly Shonen Jump magazine as well.
Naruto has become one of the best-selling manga series of all time, with over 250 million copies in circulation globally across 47 countries and regions.
Out of that massive number, 153 million copies were sold within Japan itself, while the other 97 million were sold worldwide.
The Naruto anime adaptation was produced by Studio Pierrot and TV Tokyo. It first premiered in Japan on October 3, 2002, and concluded its original run on February 8, 2007, spanning 220 episodes total.
Naruto: Shippuden, also produced by Studio Pierrot, is the direct anime sequel that adapts Part II of the manga storyline. Shippuden began airing on February 15, 2007, and finished on March 23, 2017, after nearly 10 years on the air.
The Naruto story continues today with the spinoff sequel series Boruto, supervised by original creator Masashi Kishimoto.
The manga Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is written by Kishimoto and illustrated by Mikio Ikemoto and is currently being serialized in Shueisha’s V Jump magazine.
The Hidden Leaves Village is home to skilled ninja warriors. But 12 years before the main story begins, the village is attacked by a destructive Nine-Tailed Fox demon. The demon was eventually subdued and its spirit sealed away inside a newborn baby boy.
That boy, Naruto Uzumaki, grows up ostracized by the village for harboring the Fox within him. The story follows Naruto and his fellow ninjas in training as they grow stronger, forge bonds, and defend their home from threats.
Naruto aims to become the village’s leader, known as the Hokage, and prove himself as a hero despite his troubling past.
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