A "Naruto" Hollywood live action adaptation has been one of the recurring nightmares for fans of the Masashi Kishimoto original series. Now that Lionsgate has announced that the "Naruto" creator Masashi Kishimoto will be closely involved in the production of "Naruto," fans can breathe a little easier.
Jobs & Hire recently reported that the visual effect specialist Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman on Earth) will helm the "Naruto" live action adaptation. Gracey's hiring was announced in 2015 by Lionsgate. Gracey will be working closely with Masashi Kishimoto to make the movie as close to the original material as possible.
Live-Action Hollywood movie for Naruto announced! From Lionsgate, Michael Gracey directing.
— Shonen Jump (@shonenjump) December 17, 2016
While the exact role for Masashi Kishimoto's is not yet defined, fans are just glad that the Japanese legend will have a say during the production of the "Naruto" live action adaptation. That said, fan apprehension that their beloved anime series would turn up like "Dragonball Evolution" is slightly put to rest.
"Dragonball Evolution" was also produced by Lionsgate and was widely considered as one of the worst live action movie adaptation of all time. It was so bad that the original "Dragon Ball Z" creator, Akira Toriyama, publicly disowned the Hollywood production of his original material. Another Lionsgate production, "Avatar: The Last Air Bender," was released to the disappointment of the fans.
Adapting an anime live adaptation is always tricky for Hollywood Studios. While they can create the best visual effects for the "Naruto" movie, the problem is usually inherited in adapting the eastern culture for western audiences. With Masashi Kishimoto's involvement to the Hollywood production of the live action adaptation of "Naruto," he can set straight or place limits with regards to what the "Naruto" story can bend.
Since its release in 1999 as a manga series, "Naruto" has become of Japan's most successful entertainment brands. It has spawned countless episodes and been adapted for games that can be played on high-end platforms, such as Play Station gaming devices and X-Box devices.
The live action adaption movie will "Naruto's" journey as he aims to be the best ninja (shinobi as it is widely known) in his village and eventually become the "Hokage." As of this writing, Avi Arad (Ghost in the Shell) and his son Ari Arad are producing the "Naruto" movie via their Arad Productions while Erik Feig, Geoff Shaveitz, and Kelly O'Malley are reportedly overseeing the film.
Now that Masashi Kishimoto will be closely involved in the Hollywood production of the Naruto live action movie adaptation, all that's left for its production crew is finding the right talents in front of the camera. Since there is still no release date for the "Naruto" movie, Lionsgate will have ample time to search for the perfect cast.
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