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A live-action feature film based on the hugely popular Japanese manga “Naruto” is finally moving into production. Director Destin Daniel Cretton has officially announced that the casting process for this well-known franchise has already begun. It has been more than 10 years since Lionsgate first acquired the rights to produce a feature film based on this famous graphic novel.
In addition, more than two years have passed since Destin Daniel Cretton, the director of “Shang-Chi” and “Spider-Man: A New Generation,” signed on to direct the film. The long wait is now over, as the director has finished work on his previous film project. Production on the “Naruto” adaptation has officially begun.
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On Thursday, the director shared the news on his social media that casting had begun for the roles of the universe’s key characters – Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura – known to fans as “Team 7.” The director noted that Kishimoto-sensei’s works have inspired many generations of fans across the globe, so it is a tremendous honor for him to bring this unique world and its inhabitants to the big screen for the first time in a live-action film. The filmmaker added that he is incredibly excited to launch an international casting call for the members of “Team 7” and to breathe real life into this amazing ninja universe.
Masashi Kishimoto, the author of the original manga, emphasized in his official press release that real miracles are happening one after another in his life right now. He admitted that his own creation is truly turning into a full-fledged Hollywood blockbuster. The mangaka called it an even greater miracle that the one and only Destin Daniel Cretton will be at the helm of the project, adding that he still can’t quite believe what’s happening. The writer expressed hope that, since so many fortunate circumstances have already come together, new successes await the team ahead. He noted that he is eagerly looking forward to the amazing encounters that will allow him to bring exceptionally talented and passionate actors on board, and he dreams of seeing his own characters in the finished film as soon as possible.
The graphic novel was first published in the pages of the Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine in 1999, and since then, the story’s popularity has grown steadily. This was significantly fueled by the release of the anime series of the same name, numerous video games, feature-length animated films, and many other related media products. Despite this massive success, the franchise has never before received a big-budget live-action adaptation from American film studios, but now the situation has changed dramatically.
Given that casting is currently in full swing, it can be assumed that filming will begin around 2027. If things proceed as planned, the finished film will be released in theaters around 2028, although such timelines are still purely speculative at this point. Fans can only speculate about who exactly will portray each of the “Team 7” fighters on screen and wonder whether this ambitious Hollywood endeavor will prove successful.
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