Summary
- A live-action Naruto movie can incorporate Kishimoto’s retcons, making the story feel more connected and adding a sense of symmetry.
- The completed Naruto manga and anime allows for better worldbuilding in the live-action adaptation, eliminating the need for slow information rollout.
- Assuming the movie gets sequels, it can throw viewers directly into the action, with major points established from the beginning.
A live-action Naruto movie has been in development for some time, but a recent update suggests the Naruto adaptation is actually happening after the success of Netflix’s One Piece — and the film will have one significant advantage over the Naruto manga and anime. A Naruto movie is a somewhat controversial development, as the original series is 700 chapters long and better suited for a television adaptation. Naruto‘s intricate plot and large cast of supporting characters will be difficult to fit into a movie’s runtime, and the film faces other challenges as well.
It’s hard to say if a live-action Naruto film will continue the positive anime adaptation trend after One Piece seemingly broke the curse. Even if there are obstacles for a Naruto movie to work, the project does have one advantage that the anime and manga didn’t. Assuming the film is greenlit for sequels, this could improve it in the eyes of longtime fans and newcomers alike.
The Live-Action Naruto Movie Can Incorporate Kishimoto’s Naruto Retcons
While Naruto is regarded as one of the best manga and anime out there, creator Masashi Kishimoto’s story doesn’t feel quite as connected as it should. The major plot points from Naruto: Shippuden, including the concept of Jinchūriki and Danzo’s importance as a Shippuden character, are incorporated into the story as though the original Naruto was always building to them. However, not many of the beats in the first part point to this. In fact, the series appears to have a number of retcons that helped it reach its ending.
A live-action Naruto movie can benefit from the manga and anime being finished, as it can incorporate Kishimoto’s retcons into the plot from the very first installment. This will make the overarching narrative feel more connected throughout, giving the story a nice sense of symmetry. Although it doesn’t need to dig too deeply into such retcons early on, the movie can set up Itachi’s true motivations, Tobi being behind the Nine Tails attack, and other Naruto: Shippuden reveals through small hints at the beginning.
Naruto’s Worldbuilding Can Make The Live-Action Adaptation Even Better
With the Naruto manga and anime completed, the worldbuilding can make a live-action movie even better. The movie adaptation won’t need to slowly roll out new information. Instead, it can incorporate all the best elements of Naruto‘s world early, making it even more satisfying when they become more important later on. Assuming the live-action Naruto movie gets sequels, they’ll be able to throw viewers directly into the action without spending too much time on exposition. Most of the major points can be established from the beginning, leaving more time to focus on story beats and action sequences, and allowing big reveals to fit neatly into the narrative.