Sony Partners With Lionsgate on Destin Daniel Cretton’s ‘Naruto’ Movie
Written by laserteam on November 3, 2026
(The Hollywood Reporter) – Lionsgate has partnered with Sony Pictures for its high-profile feature adaptation of Naruto.
The deal, which came after competitive, multi-studio bidding, will see Sony co-finance the movie and take on international distribution of the live-action feature film that is based on the manga by Masashi Kishimoto that grew into a global entertainment brand.
Lionsgate has now officially greenlit the project, which is the follow-up feature for Destin Daniel Cretton, who his coming off the $2.5 billion success of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Cretton is writing the script and will direct and produce. Production slated to begin in spring 2027, with Lionsgate continuing to oversee the film’s development and production and handle domestic distribution.
That Sony’s motion picture group, headed by Tom Rothman, would come out on top seems almost pre-ordained. Cretton in September signed a three-year first-look producing deal with the studio, signaling a strong relationship with his Brand New Day partner. And Sony, which is headquartered in Japan, is also the home of Crunchyroll, the popular and arguably largest streaming service that focuses on anime.
“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,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson in a statement. “We share an enormous ambition for Naruto and a commitment to making this a truly global cinematic event that stays true to what millions of existing fans love and invites so many more to embrace what makes it truly special.
