The Naruto live-action movie, a project announced almost a decade ago, has finally received a significant update with the attachment of a new writer. The news of the adaptation is spreading like wildfire in the anime community, generating mixed reactions.
We’ve known about a coming Naruto live-action movie for a long time now—a very long time, like back in 2015. At the time, Lionsgate was the studio rumored to be working on it, with Avi Arad set to produce.
The Naruto live-action movie has been confirmed and has been in the works for many years, so fans are excited to finally get new information, especially considering the recent success and hype of Netflix’s One Piece live-action adaptation.
As I said earlier, there has been a mixed reaction to this news since we all know the history of live anime adaptation. But some fans still have hopes, considering the recent success of One Piece.
So, in this article, we are not only going to cover the announcement regarding Naruto live-action but also whether it will be as successful as One Piece.
Naruto Live-Action Adaptation Announcement
Back in July 2015, Lionsgate revealed their ambitious plan to bring Masashi Kishimoto’s iconic Naruto manga to life on the big screen. The announcement generated considerable excitement among fans.
In 2016. at the Jump Festa event. Lionsgate and director Michael Gracey confirmed their collaboration, with Kishimoto himself involved in the production. However, progress seemed to stall, leaving fans in suspense.
In 2021, there was a glimmer of hope when Lionsgate reiterated the Project’s active development. The recent surprise announcement from Lionsgate indicates that the Naruto live-action movie is now on the fast track.
New Screenwriter
Breaking the silence after years of anticipation, we have a new screenwriter on board, Tasha Huo. You might know her from her work on upcoming Red Sonja and Tomb Raider adaptations.
She’s set to pen the live-action Naruto movie, and she’s got some promising words about adapting iconic characters. Adapting iconic characters or IP makes writing a bit easier because the passion for writing it is already there.
Tasha Huo: I’m so inspired by these characters already that it’s exciting to just take part in their journey and try to tell that fun story in a way that would appeal to me as a fan.
The fan base’s reaction to the news has been mixed. While some are intrigued by the developments, others express concerns. The big question on everyone’s mind is which arc from 700 chapters the film will adopt.
We all know how tricky live-action anime adaptations can be, but recent successes like Netflix’s One Piece live-action have some fans hopeful. Speaking of which, the success of One Piece live-action broke the curse of questionable anime adaptations.
One Piece nailed it by staying faithful to the source material and involving the original author, Eiichiro Oda. So, if Naruto’s live-action does the same, they might also have some chance of getting it done.
Can the Naruto live-action be Successful?
It’s a tough challenge, especially considering the intricate storytelling and numerous arcs in the Naruto series. Fans are voicing their hopes and concerns they want the script by Tasha Huo to reflect Kishimoto’s original work,
With the success One Piece saw this summer, I’m sure we’ll be hearing about the Naruto project very soon. They’re likely excited to see another adaptation be so well-received.
It is so well-received, in fact, that it helps the Netflix stock jump from fans subscribing. There are questions about whether or not Naruto can work well, but if one piece could be adapted well, surely Naruto should have an easier time being brought to the live-action medium.
The key is sticking to the source material, keeping the story and characters intact, and giving the fights and special effects the best treatment. If they pull it off, it could be something truly special.
We don’t have a release date yet, but we can expect an estimated date by the studio in the next year or so. The update we received isn’t that a Naruto live-action is coming, but rather a staff announcement for Tasha Huo, as the writer.
