One of the most popular manga of all time, Naruto is all set to get a live-action adaptation.
According to a report by a leading entertainment portal, Destin Daniel Cretton, co-writer and director of the Marvel Studios film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, has been chosen to write and direct a live-action version of the story for Lionsgate.
Cretton, through his company Hisako, will co-produce with Jeyun Munford. They will be joining Avi Arad, Ari Arad, and Emmy Yu of Arad Productions, who are also involved in the upcoming video game adaptation Borderlands, as well as Jeremy Latcham (Dungeons & Dragons).
Written by Masashi Kishimoto, Naruto tells the story of a young and determined ninja named Naruto Uzumaki, who aspires to become the leader of his ninja village. However, he also carries the spirit of a powerful nine-tailed demon fox within him. The series was published in Japan’s well-known Weekly Shonen Jump from 1999 to 2014, depicting the protagonist’s growth, relationships, and numerous intense ninja confrontations.
When Kishimoto heard about that Cretton is directing Naruto, he said in a statement, “When I heard of Destin’s attachment, it happened to be right after watching a blockbuster action film of his, and I thought he would be the perfect director for Naruto.
He further added, “After enjoying his other films and understanding that his forte is in creating solid dramas about people, I became convinced that there is no other director for Naturo. 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.”
The adaptation has been in the works with Lionsgate since the end of 2015, and Cretton’s involvement represents a major step forward in bringing it to the big screen.
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