Sony Pictures has joined Lionsgate’s live-action Naruto film as co-financier and international distributor, while Lionsgate has officially greenlit the project and will keep domestic distribution. Destin Daniel Cretton is writing, directing and producing, with production slated to begin in spring 2027.
How the deal splits
- Lionsgate: greenlit the project, oversees development and production, and handles domestic distribution.
- Sony Pictures: co-finances the film and takes international distribution.
- Destin Daniel Cretton: writes, directs and produces; cameras are set to roll in spring 2027.
Why Sony makes sense
Sony’s Japan headquarters and its ownership of Crunchyroll, one of the largest anime-focused streaming services, make the studio a natural fit for a property with this fanbase. Cretton also signed a three-year first-look producing deal with Sony in September, following the $2.5 billion success of Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson called Sony “a perfect partner for Naruto.” Tom Rothman, chairman and CEO of Sony’s motion picture group, said the studio had “a sweet success this summer with Destin” and was glad to be back in his hands.
The numbers behind the screen
Naruto sits in a rare tier of entertainment properties. Masashi Kishimoto’s manga has sold more than 250 million copies across over 60 countries and territories, and the anime adaptation has reached audiences in more than 145 countries and territories. The franchise is valued in the billions.
For media planners and entertainment marketers, that scale is the headline: a built-in global audience that can be activated across theatrical, streaming and licensed channels. The harder job is execution, because a property this loved arrives with high fan expectations.
What changes with Sony aboard
Co-financing spreads the budget risk on a VFX-heavy, world-building feature. Giving Sony international distribution also aligns the film with a studio that has direct access to anime fan infrastructure through Crunchyroll. If the release is coordinated well, that could mean stronger discovery in markets where Naruto is already a known brand.
The deal also signals how major studios are splitting risk on known IP. Rather than one studio carrying the full cost of a live-action anime adaptation, Sony and Lionsgate are pairing Sony’s international distribution reach with Lionsgate’s domestic operation. That structure lets each side play to its strength while keeping the production under a director with a recent box-office win.
What to watch next
Charles Melton is the only actor currently attached, reportedly playing the mentor Kakashi Hatake. The search for the actor to play Naruto is underway. With Lionsgate running domestic and Sony taking international, the next milestones are casting, followed by the spring 2027 production start.
For buyers, the casting of Naruto will be the clearest signal of how the filmmakers intend to position the character: a fresh face for a new generation or a name big enough to anchor a global marketing campaign. The production start in spring 2027 gives the team time to get that choice right.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
