‘Naruto’ Live-Action Movie News, Cast, Plot & Release Date: Lionsgate Taps Anime’s Creator Masashi Kishimoto For The Project
Masashi Kishimoto, creator of the manga series "Naruto", announced his involvement in the production aspects of the live-action movie adaptation of the popular Japanese anime at the 2016 Jump Festa expo held in Tokyo. In an event presentation that introduced Boruto, Kishimoto shared some pre-production images with audience members.
Live-Action Hollywood movie for Naruto announced! From Lionsgate, Michael Gracey directing.
— Shonen Jump (@shonenjump) December 17, 2016
Industry magazine Variety first reported on the live-action Naruto movie in summer 2015. It revealed the negotiations being done between film studio Lionsgate and effects artist turned director Michael Gracey who remains attached to the project.
In 2009, 20th Century Fox produced "Dragonball Evolution" which infuriated fans who accused the studio of exploiting a long-beloved Japanese series. The anime's creator, Akira Toriyama, panned the live-action adaptation of "Dragonball" but he urged fans of the anime to treat the movie as an alternate universe version of his work. Toriyama blamed Hollywood producers for not listening to his suggestions.
Anime forums are now buzzing with this development. Fans of "Naruto" are hoping that Hollywood will not botch up their favorite series. The creative addition of Kishimoto is one giant leap for the production team.
However, die-hard followers of "Naruto" remain skeptics. They are questioning the selection of an untested director to helm the live-action "Naruto" movie. They do not approve of a film studio that practically spit on its last anime production.
No details yet are revealed on the plot of the live-action "Naruto" movie. If the production team will remain loyal to the original material, fans are expecting to see the same energetic and mischievous personality of the lead character.
Casting for this movie will be another aspect of the movie that Lionsgate needs to address carefully. "Dragon Ball Evolution" caused an uproar for featuring non-Asian actors as leads. The Hollywood interpretation of "Ghost In The Shell" was also controversial for bannering Scarlette Johansson as its heroine.
In another "Naruto" development, Kishimoto revealed that a full anime series based on "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations" will be soon released in April 2017. The series will explore the adventures of Boruto, Naruto's son. Kishimoto hopes that the new series will be better than "Naruto".
