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Variety: Tasha Huo to Work on Live-Action Naruto Script
posted on by Joanna Cayanan
The Tracking Board Hollywood news website had reported in July 2015 that Lionsgate had closed the rights to adapt the manga into a live-action film, and was in talks with Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman) to direct. The Naruto and Boruto stage presentation at the Jump Festa event confirmed in 2016 that Lionsgate and Gracey were working on the film, and that original creator Masashi Kishimoto was involved with the production.
The Tracking Board also reported in 2015 that Avi Arad (Hollywood's Ghost in the Shell, Gamba: Gamba to Nakama-tachi) and his son Ari Arad were producing the film at Arad Productions, and Erik Feig, Geoff Shaveitz and Kelly O'Malley were overseeing the film.
The Hollywood Reporter reported in August 2017 that Jon and Erich Hoeber (Red, Red 2) were on board to rewrite the script for the film.
Collider reported in March 2018 that Gracey stated the staff were still working on the film's script because he wanted to make sure the work has the approval of Kishimoto. It is currently unclear if any of the above people besides Huo are still working on the project.
Kishimoto launched the ninja manga in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 1999, and ended the series in November 2014. The manga has spawned the Naruto and Naruto Shippūden television anime series, OVAs, several anime films, spinoff manga, the Boruto sequel manga and anime series, a series of novels, stage plays, and video games.
Source: Variety (Rafael Motamayor)
