Lionsgate Starts Worldwide Casting for Live-Action Naruto Movie Leads
Lionsgate and director Destin Daniel Cretton have kicked off an international casting push for their upcoming live-action Naruto movie. The announcement came via social media on Thursday, with the project positioned as a major big-screen adaptation of the long-running, manga-driven franchise.
Release window and project status
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Naruto live-action film | Currently moving through pre-production |
| Destin Daniel Cretton’s next film | Spider-Man: Brand New Day opens July 31st |
The casting call is specifically aimed at finding actors for the three members of Team 7: Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. Lionsgate also indicated that roles for additional characters will be announced later as the production moves forward.
Cretton framed the search as a “worldwide” effort in the post that introduced the casting initiative, emphasizing what it means to adapt the franchise for live-action cinema for the first time. His message highlighted the impact of Masashi Kishimoto’s work on fans worldwide and expressed excitement about bringing the Team 7 universe to life on a big-screen format.
In the same announcement, Kishimoto—creator of Naruto—shared his excitement about the project’s progress. He described a run of “miracles” and pointed out that the series is becoming a Hollywood film, while also noting that Cretton will direct. Kishimoto added that, if so many positive developments have already aligned, there’s hope for even more—especially the chance to meet the actors who will portray his characters.
What’s next for the production
While the live-action movie is currently in pre-production, Cretton is also tied to an upcoming release. His next film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is scheduled to open on July 31st.
If you’re using this casting news as a jumping-off point to revisit the franchise, there are also guides available for watching the existing Naruto anime movies in order.
