Sony Joins Lionsgate's Live-Action Naruto Film, With Production Targeted for Spring 2027

Naruto Moves Toward Production With Two Studios Behind It

Lionsgate has greenlit its live-action adaptation of Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto, with production targeted to begin in spring 2027 and Sony Pictures joining as a co-financier and international distributor. The agreement follows competitive bidding among several studios and gives the project a clearer route toward filming after more than a decade in development.

Destin Daniel Cretton will write, direct and produce the film. Lionsgate will continue to oversee development and production and handle domestic distribution, while Sony will take responsibility for bringing the movie to international markets.

The partnership brings together a Japanese entertainment property with substantial worldwide reach and two Hollywood studios sharing the work and financial commitment of adapting it. Naruto's manga has sold more than 250 million copies across over 60 countries and territories. Its anime adaptation has reached audiences in more than 145 countries and territories.

The next major steps are casting and preparation for filming. A global search has been announced for Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno, the three central young characters. Charles Melton has been in talks to play their mentor, Kakashi Hatake, but no cast has been confirmed.

How Sony and Lionsgate Will Divide the Work

Lionsgate remains responsible for developing and making the movie. Sony's role combines financing, meaning it will contribute to the cost, with international distribution, the work of arranging the film's release in markets outside the domestic territory handled by Lionsgate.

The arrangement spreads the financial commitment between the companies while giving the movie access to Sony's distribution network. The studios have not disclosed the production budget, their respective contributions or a theatrical release date. Spring 2027 is the target for starting production, rather than the date audiences can expect to see the finished film.

Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, described Sony's experience with Japanese entertainment and worldwide releases as central to the choice of partner. In a statement announcing the agreement, he said:

With their deep expertise in manga and anime and global distribution prowess, Sony Pictures is a perfect partner for Naruto, and we're thrilled to join forces with Tom Rothman and his team to bring this extraordinary property to audiences around the world."

"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.

Fogelson also credited Helen Lee-Kim with securing Sony as the international partner. Michael Meyer negotiated the agreement for Lionsgate, while Erin Westerman and James Myers oversee the project for the studio.

Why Sony Is Backing the Adaptation

Sony already has a substantial connection to anime through its ownership of Crunchyroll, the streaming service focused on Japanese animation. That connection helps explain why Lionsgate highlighted experience with manga and anime when announcing the partnership.

Cretton also has an existing relationship with Sony through Spider-Man: Brand New Day. In September, he signed a producing agreement giving Sony the first opportunity to consider projects from his company for three years. Naruto therefore extends a relationship already covering both directing and future productions.

Tom Rothman, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, described the company's interest in the underlying material and the adaptation Lionsgate had assembled:

At Sony, we are big believers in the global power of manga and anime in general and huge fans of 'Naruto' in particular. Lionsgate has done a masterful job in putting together an A-level adaptation, and we are honored to be chosen as their partner.

The commercial attraction is easy to understand from the franchise's reach. Sony will be distributing a film based on characters already familiar to audiences across many countries, while Lionsgate is keeping responsibility for the production itself.

Cretton Takes on the Script and Direction

Cretton's responsibilities now cover three central jobs: writing the screenplay, directing the performances and action, and helping produce the film. His previous directing work includes Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, giving him experience with a large studio production built around martial arts and fantastical characters.

The director is producing through his company Hisako alongside Jeyun Munford. Avi Arad, Ari Arad and Emmy Yu are producing through Arad Productions, and Jeremy Latcham is also listed among the producers. Fogelson thanked Tetsu Fujimura for his work and support as part of the wider producing effort.

Cretton described himself as a longtime Naruto fan and identified the emotional story beneath its ninja battles as a central attraction. Explaining his approach in a statement, he said:

As a longtime fan of Naruto, I've always loved that beneath the extraordinary action is a story filled with heart, humor, and humanity. Kishimoto-sensei created a world where unlikely heroes do extraordinary things, and that's what makes it so special.

His comments set out the creative ambition: preserve the characters and feelings that existing readers recognize while making the story accessible to people encountering Naruto for the first time. Turning a lengthy manga into a feature film will require choices about which characters, events and relationships receive the most attention.

The Search for Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura

The Naruto franchise's official website announced on July 10 that a global casting search had begun for Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. Casting for other characters was to follow later.

Those three roles are central to the film's identity. Naruto is the enthusiastic young ninja at the heart of the story, while Sasuke and Sakura are his companions. Their relationships give the adaptation an emotional center alongside its action.

Melton, known for Riverdale and Beef, has been in negotiations to play Kakashi Hatake, the elite ninja who mentors the young characters. His involvement remains at the talks stage. The distinction matters for readers following casting announcements: the search for the young leads is underway, while Kakashi has an actor under consideration.

The casting process is also the most immediate public sign of the project moving from development toward production. A screenplay and financing agreement prepare the film to be made; choosing performers begins to establish how its familiar characters will appear and interact on screen.

A Young Ninja With an Unusual Burden

Kishimoto's story follows Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja who wants to become the leader of his village. He also carries the spirit of Kurama, a powerful fox with nine tails, inside his body.

The premise combines an easy ambition to understand, a child wanting recognition and responsibility, with a fantasy world of extraordinary powers. Naruto's struggles involve friendship, perseverance and belonging as well as combat. Those personal stakes help explain why Cretton's statement focused on humor and humanity.

The original manga ran in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump from 1999 until November 2014. Its long run gives the filmmakers a large amount of material to choose from, including the hero's early experiences, his relationships and the wider conflicts of his world.

The studios have not identified which part of the manga the film will adapt. That choice will determine how much of Naruto's world needs to be introduced in a single movie and which relationships form the core of its story.

More Than a Decade of Development

Lionsgate's involvement dates back to 2015, when it secured the rights to adapt the manga and was in discussions with Michael Gracey, the director of The Greatest Showman. The project has since passed through several stages of writing and development.

The main milestones show how long the adaptation has been taking shape:

• July 2015: Lionsgate's acquisition of the adaptation rights and talks with Gracey became public.
• 2016: A Naruto and Boruto presentation at Jump Festa confirmed that Lionsgate and Gracey were working on the film, with Kishimoto involved.
• August 2017: Jon and Erich Hoeber were attached to rewrite the screenplay.
• March 2018: Gracey said work on the script was continuing because he wanted Kishimoto's approval.
• November 2023: Tasha Huo was identified as working on the screenplay.
• July 10: The franchise announced the global search for the three central young characters.
• Spring 2027: Production is now targeted to begin under the Lionsgate and Sony partnership.

The current creative leadership places Cretton in charge of writing and directing. Huo's earlier script work is part of the development history, while the continuing involvement of earlier writers and production personnel has not been fully detailed.

Kishimoto's Role and a Franchise Beyond the Manga

Kishimoto's involvement was publicly confirmed at Jump Festa in 2016. Gracey's comments in 2018 also showed that obtaining the creator's approval was a priority during that stage of development.

The latest partnership announcement centers on Cretton and the two studios without detailing Kishimoto's current responsibilities. For fans, the creator's connection to the adaptation remains relevant because the characters and their relationships originated in his manga.

Naruto has already moved across many forms of entertainment. The manga led to the Naruto and Naruto Shippuden television anime series, animated films, original video animation projects, novels, stage plays, video games and spinoff manga. Boruto continued the franchise through a sequel manga and anime series. Kishimoto is also developing a new franchise manga titled Naruto Shadow Rising.

The live-action film adds another format to that history. Its particular challenge is to turn drawings and animated performances into a world played by actors, while keeping the characters recognizable to readers who have followed them for years.

A Worldwide Audience Is Central to the Plan

The manga's sales and the anime's geographic reach explain why international distribution is such a substantial part of the agreement. More than 250 million manga copies across over 60 countries and territories represent a large readership, while the anime's presence in more than 145 countries and territories extends the franchise's familiarity further.

Those figures measure different things: one counts copies sold, while the other describes where the anime has reached audiences. Together, they show why the studios are planning Naruto as a worldwide theatrical release rather than a film aimed at a single national market.

Fogelson said the companies share an ambition to make a global cinematic event that stays true to existing fans while welcoming new audiences. The production target, financing partnership and casting search now give that ambition a more concrete shape.

The next developments to watch are confirmed casting announcements and preparations for the planned spring 2027 production start. Those steps will begin to show how Cretton and the studios intend to bring Naruto's characters from the page to live action.

Key Points

• Sony Pictures will co-finance Lionsgate's live-action Naruto film and handle international distribution.
• Lionsgate retains oversight of development, production and domestic distribution.
• Destin Daniel Cretton will write, direct and produce, with production targeted for spring 2027.
• A global casting search covers Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. Charles Melton has been in talks to play Kakashi.
• The manga has sold more than 250 million copies, and the anime has reached audiences in more than 145 countries and territories.
• The adaptation has been in development since 2015, and no theatrical release date has been announced.