Lionsgate has opened a worldwide casting call for the lead characters Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura in its live‑action film based on Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto manga.

The manga began its run in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999 and concluded in November 2014, spawning anime series, films, video games and a sequel series called Boruto.

Lionsgate’s official website posted the casting notice on Friday, stating that the search covers the three principal characters and that additional roles will be considered later.

Kishimoto said the announcement marked a new phase for the franchise.

Director Destin Daniel Cretton, known for Shang‑Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is attached to direct and produce the film through his company Hisako with co‑producer Jeyun Munford.

Additional producers listed include Avi Arad, Ari Arad, Emmy Yu, Jeremy Latcham and others.

Variety reported in November 2023 that Tasha Huo had been working on the screenplay.

Earlier reports from 2015 indicated that Lionsgate had secured the film rights and was in talks with director Michael Gracey, while The Tracking Board noted the involvement of Arad Productions and other producers in 2016.

Collider reported in 2018 that Gracey said the script remained under review to gain Kishimoto’s approval.

The casting period is expected to continue for several months, and the studio has not announced a release date.