Naruto live-action movie is a “disaster” and worse than infamous Dragon Ball film, insiders say

The Naruto live-action movie was already seeming to be a dead-end project after multiple delays, but now insiders have claimed it’s “a complete disaster”.

Naruto isn’t the first manga or anime series to receive a live-action adaptation. The likes of Dragon Ball, Cowboy Bebop, and Death Note have already been there. But none of the end results were received well by critics, let alone long-time fans.

A reason behind that might be the handling of the source material and not matching its tone. The best example was seen in Dragon Ball Evolution, considered one of the worst anime live-action films ever made. The film westernized the whole premise, and as a result, failed to live up to the beloved manga and anime.

Apparently, the Naruto live-action movie is also on its way to the ever-growing list of anime live-action failures – insiders have reported that it’s worse than people have predcicted.

The report claims the team behind the movie “don’t have a clue” about the source material. “It’s so bad that those working on the movie don’t even know who the villains of the (series) are, yet they’re developing the movie,” it reads.

Masashi Kishimoto/Studio Pierrot

Needless to say, this is quite disappointing to fans, who’ve been looking forward to this film for years. When a live-action movie of the beloved anime was announced by Lionsgate in 2015, fans were on cloud nine. At that time, Michael Gracey, the director of The Greatest Showman, was set to direct the movie, with Avi Arad as the producer.

The project also got the approval of Naruto’s creator Masashi Kishimoto. However, the movie’s production has halted since then. In 2018, Gracey told Collider: “Until that script is at a level that I’m excited about, I have no interest in destroying an amazing franchise.”

This led to Gracey eventually leaving the project, likely because there was no development in the script. However, nearly a decade after its announcement, the Naruto live-action movie finally got an update in 2024.

Lionsgate brought along Destin Daniel Cretton to helm the much-delayed project. Cretton has already worked on a project with high production value and a fantastical setting, with him directing MCU’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in 2021.

While the latest addition to the team gave fans some hope, it may have been for nothing. Hopefully, there will be more updates on the project soon.

Whether the live-action movie of Naruto ever sees the big screen is still unclear. But if you’re in the mood for some ninja action, check out our guides on Naruto filler episodes and the strongest Naruto character before you dive into the anime shows.