Michael Gracey to Direct 'Naruto' Film for Lionsgate

Lionsgate Studio has signed on Michael Gracey to direct an adaptation of the wildly popular manga series "Naruto," as reported by Variety. The manga debuted in 1997 written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto and it sold more than 200 million print copies. The story follows young ninja Naruto Uzumaki as he dreams of becoming the village ninja.

The studio is still in negotiations for the rights. Avi Arad and Ari Arad are set to produce the film. Gracey is a visual effects specialist who has moved into directing. We'll keep you updated as this develops.

This isn't happening. Until I see a trailer, this isn't happening. And MAYBE not even then.

Why the hell did Kishimoto agree to this?

Nurutu

@handofprometheus: money

Is this going to be live action? 'Cuz if it is... I might just cry.

Dear god.... why?

he should start out as a teen and it should be like die hard and red dawn with ninjas and black jack and hookers

someone call vanilla ice for the sountrack

i would watch it day one

And in the great tradition of bringing anime to live action; it's going to suck. :)

@handofprometheus: Because of money

Anyway, I hope they try to make a good movie this time around. But I have a bad feeling, we'll see Naruto in normal High School and somehow turn into Kurama by the end of the movie.

Huh, something that is sure to be just as disappointing as the end of the actual manga story. Seriously, that ending was terrible.

Has there been any good live action adaptations of Japanese manga or anime? I remember the horrible dragon ball movie...

I wonder why, they pick Naruto. Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, Monster, Gundam, or Death Note would been better live action movie. Naruto is too out there, to draw in newer people

I have no idea who this guy is and never even seen the movies he worked on. Now let's just hope they have a good screenplay writer who knows Naurto.

Geez.

It's really happening.

Beata

I'm sure people will compare it to Dragonball, but I'm gonna at least give it a chance.

If Dragon Ball Evolution and the Last Airbender have taught us anything its that this project should be cast into the fires of Mount Doom before it even begins.

Please someone save Naruto

Why.

This is gonna end up like the 2012 Bleach live-action movie .

The sad thing is that we know how this is going to turn out

If there is even one credible actor in this I will be so surprised I just might see this movie.

Like, if Samuel L Jackson played Kakashi or something.

@gamiz7: that sounds amazing

@maximusthemad: thank you

also the head bands should have a secondary purpose

@terrortuga: There was one?

When the hell did this happen? What the hell? How did i miss this? Is this going to be live action? Because if it is, it's gonna suck pretty hard... how the hell are you suppose to have an actor with pineapple hair, orange jumpsuit and fox whiskers in live action and take him seriously?

Kishimoto already ruined part 2 Naruto himself, why would they do this... greedy assholes...

Keyword "was" .

Don't do it man!

DO. NOT. DO. IT.

They're making this because Naruto could be played by a white kid with blonde hair and blue eyes.

WTF? They are making a Live Action Naruto Movie. Lol!

@terrortuga: Oh, um... Wow.

Definitely not a good idea.

One anime/manga franchise has already been crushed by a live action movie. I don't want this one to suffer the same fate.

The entirety of Part 2 was terrible.

@crimz: Oh my God that look! Lol

Naruto evolution confirmed.

YYYEEEEESSSSSSSSSS

THIS IS GONNA BE AS EPIC AS DRAGON BALL EVOLUTION AND AVATAR THE AIRBENDER

REMEMBER THOSE BLOCKBUSTER FILMS THAT MADE EVERY MOVIE IN A HISTORY LOOK LIKE TRASH

Stop. Your hatred for the Ninja War and parts leading up to it are clouding your judge. Part 2 was amazing, until after Pain attacked Konoha. Then everything went down hill fast.

@kivatt: No.

I tolerated the Kazekage Rescue Arc, I didn't like the Sasuke and Sai Arc, I was dissapointed by the Hidan and Kakazu arc, and I could care less over the Itachi persuit arc.

Well now.But you have to admit. The Sasuke and Deidara fight was amazing though

This is gonna suck real bad

Way way too late. Maybe back when it was popular but nowadays Naruto is the anime equivalent of a Rob Liefeld comic.

However I'm still glad Comic Vine is covering this, we need to get more Otaku into comics.

This will be terrible, BELIEVE IT!

@destinyhero20: There actually is a live action Death Note movie series. I didn't see it so I'm not sure if it's good but it does exists.

http://m.imdb.com/title/tt0758742/

@d9000: I knew about that, there also a live action Death Note TV Show. I was talking about a Hollywood live action

Lionsgate Studio has signed on Michael Gracey to direct an adaptation...

...Gracey is a visual effects specialist who has moved into directing.

This is like giving a CGI department the job of script writing.

@kivatt: I never liked Sasuke nor Deidara as characters, much less their fight scene.

@d9000: I saw positive reviews for the live action Attack on Titan movie.