Sony Joins Lionsgate's Naruto Film as Charles Melton Is Linked to Kakashi Role

Naruto Moves Toward a Spring 2027 Shoot

Lionsgate has officially greenlit its live action Naruto film for production, with Sony Pictures joining as a financial partner and international distributor. Filming is scheduled to begin in spring 2027 under director, screenwriter and producer Destin Daniel Cretton, bringing Masashi Kishimoto's ninja story closer to a Hollywood theatrical adaptation.

The partnership, announced on November 2, 2026, gives the project a clear division of responsibilities: Lionsgate will oversee development and production and distribute the film in North America, while Sony will co-finance the film and handle international distribution. A theatrical release in 2028 has been suggested as a possibility, but the studios have not announced a release target or an exact release date.

Charles Melton is being linked to Kakashi Hatake, the elite ninja who mentors Naruto and his teammates. While some coverage describes Melton as cast, other accounts place him in final negotiations, with no official casting confirmation. The latest reports say he remains in talks; neither Lionsgate nor Cretton has confirmed any casting. The actors who will play Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno are still being sought.

The production brings together a franchise with more than 250 million manga copies in circulation and a filmmaker whose credits include Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Just Mercy and Short Term 12. Cretton has said the adaptation's appeal lies as much in its characters and humor as in its action.

How Sony and Lionsgate Will Share the Film

Sony secured its place after competition among several major studios. Its agreement covers both a share of the production funding and the task of getting the finished film into cinemas outside North America. Lionsgate remains responsible for leading development and filming.

For audiences, the arrangement means two studios will handle the same film in different territories. Distribution is the business of arranging a movie's release, including working with cinema operators and organizing its promotion. Sony's involvement gives Naruto access to its international distribution network.

Sony also owns Crunchyroll, the anime streaming service. That connection gives the group an established business serving viewers of Japanese animation, alongside its cinema operations. The announced Naruto agreement concerns the film's financing and theatrical distribution; no streaming release plan has been disclosed.

Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, described Sony's experience with manga, anime and international distribution as central to the partnership. He said the studios share a goal of serving established fans while attracting new audiences.

We share an enormous ambition for Naruto and a commitment to making this a truly global cinematic event that stays true to what millions of existing fans love and invites so many more to embrace what makes it truly special.

Why Kakashi Matters to the Casting

Melton's proposed role would place him at the center of the relationship between Naruto and his fellow young ninjas. Kakashi is the experienced mentor to Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura, combining a relaxed manner with formidable fighting skills.

The character gives the film an adult figure through whom its young cast can learn, clash and develop. His importance extends beyond action scenes: the relationship between a teacher and three very different students is a major part of the story's human appeal.

Melton, whose recent work includes Netflix's Beef, was reported to be in discussions for Kakashi in August. Subsequent accounts described the negotiations as reaching their final stage. The remaining casting search includes all three young leads.

A worldwide open call for Naruto began in July. An open call allows performers to put themselves forward through a broader recruitment process, rather than limiting consideration to a small list of established actors. Finding the central trio will help determine how the film presents the friendships and rivalries around its main character.

A Boy Seeking His Village's Recognition

Naruto follows Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja who dreams of becoming Hokage, the leader of his village. His ambition gives the story a simple goal that a newcomer can understand: a boy dismissed by others wants to grow into someone his community trusts.

He also carries a dangerous secret. The spirit of a fox with nine tails is sealed inside his body, tying his personal life to an extraordinary source of power. The story follows his growth as he learns to live with that burden and pursue his dream.

Kishimoto's manga ran in Japan's Weekly Shonen Jump from 1999 to 2014. Its combination of training, competition, friendships and conflict gives the adaptation several strands to work with, beyond reproducing recognizable battles or costumes.

The filmmakers have not announced which part of the manga the first film will adapt. With the search for Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura still underway and Kakashi the subject of casting negotiations, attention is currently focused on the core group rather than a detailed plot.

Cretton Puts Character Beside Action

Cretton will write, direct and produce Naruto. He is also the director of Sony's Spider-Man: Brand New Day, making the Naruto agreement another collaboration with that studio. He signed a deal covering three years with Sony in September.

His directing credits span martial arts spectacle and intimate drama. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings involved large action sequences, while Just Mercy and Short Term 12 centered on personal struggles and relationships. Naruto creator Kishimoto has pointed specifically to that attention to people in explaining his support for the director.

Cretton, describing himself as a longtime Naruto fan, explained what he wants to preserve in the adaptation.

As a longtime fan of Naruto, I've always loved that beneath the extraordinary action is a story filled with heart, humor, and humanity,

The director also described the appeal of Kishimoto's characters.

Kishimoto-sensei created a world where unlikely heroes do extraordinary things, and that's what makes it so special.

That approach gives the production a concrete creative priority: Naruto's battles need to sit alongside the friendships, jokes and emotional struggles that make viewers care about who wins. Cretton has said the teams at Lionsgate and Sony want to retain what fans love while introducing the story to another generation.

Kishimoto Supports the Director's Approach

Kishimoto has publicly backed Cretton's appointment. The manga creator said his confidence grew after watching the filmmaker's work and meeting him, with particular attention to the director's interest in character drama.

In his statement about Cretton, Kishimoto described their meeting and the prospect of working together.

In actually meeting Destin, I also found him to be an open-minded director who was willing to embrace my input, and felt strongly that we would be able to cooperate together in the production process.

For a film translating drawings and animation into performances by real actors, that cooperation is relevant to decisions about tone and characterization. Kishimoto's comments identify an area of agreement with Cretton: the people inside Naruto's elaborate fictional world matter as much as its visual spectacle.

A Global Audience Built Across Manga and Television

Naruto's manga has more than 250 million copies in circulation across more than 60 countries and territories. Its anime has reached viewers in more than 145 countries and territories, giving the film an audience whose familiarity with the franchise comes through several different routes.

The animated adaptations also reached American television through Cartoon Network and Disney XD. Some potential cinema viewers will therefore know Naruto through dubbed television episodes, while others followed the Japanese manga or watched anime through streaming services.

Those figures measure different things: manga circulation counts copies, while the anime figure describes geographic reach. Together, they explain the scale of the studios' task. The film must introduce Naruto's village, powers and ambitions to newcomers while presenting characters that many viewers already know well.

Sony's international role is especially relevant to that geographic reach. Lionsgate will handle North American cinemas, but much of the franchise's established audience lives elsewhere, including in the Asian markets where Naruto first built its following.

From Years of Development to Production Plans

Hollywood interest in a Naruto film dates back more than a decade. Early discussions involved a different director, Michael Gracey, before the project developed into the version now led by Cretton.

The main steps in the film's development and planned schedule are:

• 2015: Early reports linked Lionsgate to negotiations for the film rights, with Michael Gracey attached to direct.
• 2024: Lionsgate brought Cretton aboard to write and direct the adaptation.
• July 2026: A worldwide open call began for the role of Naruto.
• August 2026: Melton was reported to be in talks to play Kakashi.
• November 2, 2026: Lionsgate's partnership with Sony was announced.
• Spring 2027: Filming is scheduled to begin.
• 2028: A theatrical release has been suggested as a possibility, not an announced studio target.

The producing team includes Avi Arad, Ari Arad, Emmy Yu and Jeremy Latcham. Cretton will also produce through his company Hisako alongside Jeyun Munford. Erin Westerman and James Myers will oversee the production for Lionsgate.

Approval for production moves Naruto beyond development, the stage when a studio assembles scripts, filmmakers and financing. The next practical steps include completing the cast and preparing for the planned spring shoot. For viewers waiting to see the characters in live action, the casting of the three young leads will be among the most consequential announcements.

Key Points

• Lionsgate has officially greenlit the live action Naruto film, with filming planned for spring 2027.
• Sony will co-finance the film and distribute it internationally; Lionsgate will oversee development and production and handle North America.
• Destin Daniel Cretton will write, direct and produce, with public support from creator Masashi Kishimoto.
• Charles Melton remains in talks for Kakashi, according to reports; neither Lionsgate nor Cretton has confirmed any casting.
• The search continues for actors to play Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura.
• A theatrical release in 2028 is a reported possibility, not an announced studio target.