The live-action Naruto movie has a second studio and, more importantly, a start date. The Hollywood Reporter reports that Sony Pictures has partnered with Lionsgate on Destin Daniel Cretton’s adaptation of Masashi Kishimoto’s manga, that Lionsgate has now officially greenlit the film, and that production is slated to begin in spring 2027.
Under the deal, which THR says followed competitive, multi-studio bidding, Sony will co-finance the film and handle international distribution. Lionsgate continues to oversee development and production and keeps domestic distribution. Cretton is writing, directing and producing.
Why Sony, and why now
Nobody in Hollywood is pretending this was a coin flip. Cretton is coming off Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which THR puts at $2.5 billion worldwide for Sony, and he signed a three-year first-look producing deal with the studio in September. Sony is also headquartered in Japan and owns Crunchyroll, the biggest anime-focused streamer going. THR calls Sony’s win “almost pre-ordained.”
Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson, in a statement to THR: “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.” He added that the goal is “a truly global cinematic event that stays true to what millions of existing fans love.”
Sony Motion Picture Group chairman and CEO Tom Rothman: “Lionsgate has done a masterful job in putting together an A-level adaptation, and we are honored to be chosen as their partner. Not to mention, we had a sweet success this summer with Destin and are delighted to be back in his capable hands.”
Cretton, who has called himself a longtime fan, said: “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. Lionsgate has been an incredible partner, and I’m thrilled to reunite with the fantastic team at Sony.”
What’s actually set
Not much beyond the deal itself, which is the point of a greenlight. Per THR, Charles Melton is the only actor on board and is said to be playing Kakashi Hatake, the elite-ninja mentor to Team 7; the search for the actor to play Naruto Uzumaki is underway. Avi Arad, Ari Arad and Emmy Yu produce for Arad Productions, with Cretton and Jeyun Munford producing through Hisako. Erin Westerman and James Myers oversee for Lionsgate. There is no release date.
Lionsgate has held the rights since 2015, and Cretton was announced as writer-director in February 2024, so this has been a long road. Kishimoto’s manga ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1999 to 2014 and has sold more than 250 million copies across more than 60 countries and territories, per THR; the anime has reached more than 145. It is, in other words, the single biggest shonen property that has never had a Hollywood movie. Spring 2027 is when that changes.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter (Borys Kit, Nov. 3, 2026).
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