Lionsgate launches global casting for Naruto live‑action film

Lionsgate announced the start of a worldwide casting search for the three main characters—Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno—of Team 7 in its upcoming live‑action adaptation of the hit manga Naruto. The project is being written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, known for Shang‑Chi and the forthcoming Spider‑Man: Brand New Day, and produced by Avi Arad, Ari Arad, Emmy Yu and Jeremy Latcham. Cretton said, “The stories of Kishimoto‑sensei have inspired generations of fans around the world, and it’s an honor to bring his world and characters to the big screen in live action for the very first time.”

Manga creator Masashi Kishimoto expressed excitement, calling the development a series of “miracles” and stating, “My work, Naruto, is truly becoming a Hollywood movie, and an even greater miracle is that it will be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton.” The casting call focuses first on the trio of protagonists, with auditions for supporting roles to follow later. The film is now in pre‑production; no release date has been set, though the manga has sold over 250 million copies worldwide and the adaptation was first announced in 2015 and revived in 2024.