On July 10, 2026, an article titled "'NARUTO -Naruto-' Live-Action Film Adaptation Officially Announced" was published on the Chinese portal site Sohu.

The article introduced, saying, "The big news that 'NARUTO -Naruto-' fans have long awaited has finally become a reality. The American Hollywood film production company Lionsgate recently announced that it would conduct a global casting audition for the 'NARUTO -Naruto-' live-action film. The three main cast members being sought are Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura."

It then reported, "Following this announcement, it quickly became a big topic among fans. 'NARUTO -Naruto-' has never had a live-action adaptation before, and although rumors of a live-action adaptation have circulated many times in the past, none of them came to fruition. However, this project has already entered a full-scale preparation phase, and many fans are expressing joy."

The article also explained, "The production staff lineup is also splendid, further raising expectations for the work. Destin Daniel Cretton will serve as director and screenwriter. He is a familiar name to those acquainted with Marvel works, having handled 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' and 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day,' and is highly regarded for his large-scale action direction and filmmaking skills."

Furthermore, it pointed out, "Original author Masashi Kishimoto also released a comment, expressing joy with 'Miracles are happening one after another.' He stated that he couldn't believe Cretton would be directing, and that he was looking forward to meeting passionate and wonderful actors, and seeing the characters he created come to life on screen. On the other hand, it also pointed out that 'Along with the joy, voices of anxiety are also rising among fans. What is attracting the most attention is, after all, the casting.'"

The article showed concern, saying, "Due to it being a Hollywood production, there are not a few voices concerned that the racial settings of the main characters might be changed under the influence of 'political correctness (the idea of using fair and neutral expressions and terms).' It particularly expressed concern that 'Team 7, consisting of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, has had its visual image established among fans for many years, so if the casting deviates significantly from that image, many fans will likely not accept it.'"

Furthermore, it stated, "The production team should not forget their respect for the original work and the fans, and instead of conventional casting, they should carefully select actors who match the atmosphere of each character and the image from the original work, thoroughly create the film, and meet the expectations of many 'NARUTO -Naruto-' fans."

Comments from Chinese netizens include: "The role of Sasuke seems quite difficult," "Couldn't cosplayers play the roles?" "Nowadays, AI-generated footage feels better than poorly done live-action," "I hope it doesn't deviate too much from the original work," "I'm against live-action adaptations. I feel like they'll turn out terrible," and "Live-action adaptations usually ruin character settings, right? The more popular and visually appealing the original work, the worse the adaptation tends to be."