Naruto live-action movie gets disappointing update from co-writer of the anime adaptation

Anime fans are starting to wonder if they will ever get to see the Naruto live-action movie that was once promised following a disappointing update. The project, an adaptation of the classic shonen manga which was then turned into one of the best anime series of all time, was first announced in February 2024 with Marvel director Destin Daniel Cretton set to direct.

Close to two years later, the film's co-writer Tasha Huo has revealed there are "no new updates" on the adaptation. Speaking to ScreenRant, Huo acknowledged Cretton's busy schedule with the MCU, which includes the upcoming Disney Plus series Wonder Man (directing and developing several episodes), Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and a potential sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Huo continued saying "I wish I did" have more news about the Naruto film, siding with fans: "I also can't wait to see [the adaptation]".

The writer said in August 2024 that her first script was "done" and that Cretton was "doing his stuff" with the source material. "I think that’s such a cool choice because he’s going to be able to capture how nuanced and special Naruto is without getting distracted by the big world that it is, which I think could easily be done by someone who's not a fan or someone who's coming in for a cash payday," Huo said.

"This is definitely a movie that comes at it from a love of who Naruto is and that character and his relationships," she added.

As told in the manga and anime, the story follows the titular orphan Naruto Uzumaki, a young and trouble-making ninja who ultimately seeks recognition from his fellow ninjas as they embark on missions through a dangerous world filled with a magic energy that gives them special powers.

A live-action adaptation of Naruto has been decades in the making with little success. Will Huo and Cretton break the curse and deliver a worthy adaptation for the fans?

While we wait to find out, check out the latest on the new anime just over the horizon – including Jujutsu Kaisen season 3, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War part 3, and Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle 2.