Pre-production has begun on a live action film adaptation of Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto manga, with a casting call underway for the three trainee members of Team 7.
The project is helmed by Shang-Chi: Legend of the Ten Rings and Spider-Man: Brand New Day director Destin Daniel Cretton. In a post via Instagram, Cretton shared a picture in front of Tokyo Tower with Kishimoto and remarked that "Kishimoto-sensei’s stories have inspired generations of fans around the globe [...] it’s an honor to bring his world and characters to the big screen in live action for the very first time."
For his part, Kishimoto also said that "Right now, miracles are happening to me, one after another. My work, Naruto, is truly, truly becoming a Hollywood movie! And an even greater miracle is that the film will be directed by the one and only Destin Daniel Cretton." Indeed, the project has been stuck in development hell for many years, with Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman) once attached to direct.
The success of the One Piece live action has no doubt played a part in speeding up that process. Putting aside all possible criticism, Netflix's adaptation has proven that series based on manga can act as huge drivers of engagement, with season two premiering at number one on the platform worldwide earlier this year. Cretton's experience with action and martial arts in particular also provide some hope that this won't be another Dragon Ball Evolution.
