Naruto’s live-action movie is seeing both positive and negative sides to its development. On one hand, Destin Daniel Cretton helming the project gives it credibility and hope that it would be directed well. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings gave the director enough to go with. On the other hand, it was said that the film would take an original take on Masashi Kishimoto’s story.
The movie has both good and bad expectations on its back but it is through One Piece that faith isn’t dead. The Netflix live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s masterpiece was a success when no one thought it could be. All the things it got right created a sense of competition for every other adaptation to come. However, it also taught everyone something in the process.
Naruto‘s Live-Action Should Start with a Bang
What the One Piece live-action was able to nail was how gripping it was from the very beginning. The series started with Gol D. Roger’s execution and thus gave a glimpse of what exactly fans were to expect whether they were acquainted with Eiichiro Oda’s series or not. Naruto‘s film could do something similar. While it does have the limitation of being cramped in a movie and not a spread-out television series, it could still create the foundation for more films to come.
Despite having such a good scene, there isn’t much that has happened in Oda’s series so far, making it a lighter watch. Destin Daniel Cretton’s film could follow in the different footsteps, providing it with the assurance that it isn’t going astray from Masashi Kishimoto’s original manga. It would also give the studio a chance to showcase just how well they are willing to take the film without shattering the hopes of the fans.
The live-action film could kick things up a notch with Kurama’s attack on Konoha Village. The tale has been told many times over with fans already being familiar with it. However, it has been shown in two different mediums. The anime and manga have both showcased the tragedy willfully and now it is the movie’s turn.
Kurama Could Set the Tone
If the live-action movie was to directly dive into Naruto’s childhood, it would make fans wonder whether or not Lionsgate would be able to execute its renowned action sequences without jeopardizing any of the elements. Naruto is a very cared-for and loved series, were there to be a mistake of such magnitude, the chances of the film’s success would decline greatly.
Fans meeting Kurama right as they start the movie would make them buckle their belts without a second thought. With Minato fighting it and helping seal the Nine-Tailed Fox within their precious son, it would provide a sequence that is both action-packed and heartfelt.
Naruto is not just a series with action alone. Fans who would go into the film would either know this beforehand or this sequence can justify the same message. Its different themes create an environment for the film that fans would most definitely be looking for. Sacrifice, terror, emotions, action; all these themes combined together in one scene alone.
Naruto live-action is slated to be released in 2026.
