Eight years ago, the world of the Eight Hokages was promised a Naruto live-action film. Could a blend of special effects and skilled choreography bring to life the dynamic jutsus and intense battles that fans so adore? While some anime enthusiasts thought so, some opposed it. Yet, many just hoped that the adaptation would not ruin their beloved shinobi universe similar to how live-action versions of Avatar: The Last Airbender and Dragon Ball: Evolution had infamously done before. But it seems like Lionsgate’s Naruto film could be headed in the same direction.

The news of the person who wrote The Witcher spin-off writing the screenplay for Naruto’s live-action has raised some eyebrows. This particular writer apparently became one of the main reasons for the downfall of The Witcher: Blood Origin.

What Witcher: Blood Origin’s failure means for the Naruto live-action 

When it came out in 2022, it was evident that The Witcher’s spin-off had severely underwhelmed audiences. Owing to its 4.9/10 stars on IMDb and 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it is safe to say that the series was a colossal failure. Ultimately, it came down to its overused fantasy elements propelled by a simplistic storyline. Additionally, its themes remained insufficiently explored, adding to the overall sense of insignificance to the original plot of the otherwise successful The Witcher. 

And now, Tasha Huo, who was responsible for the spin-off’s failed script, has taken on the script for Naruto. Fans’ concerns over the risky live-action endeavor have become all the more valid due to this. Because if the storyline for the live-action fails to be convincing, no state-of-the-art effects can save the film from impending doom. After the disappointment fans faced upon the delay of Naruto’s anniversary special episodes, this development is bound to add to the heartbreak.

To add to all this, the Masashi Kishimoto-created manga’s complex storyline will make Huo’s job even tougher. Between Naruto and Naruto Shippuden, the anime boasts of almost a thousand episodes. Since it will be impossible for Huo to summarize the plot of Naruto in a film, the live-action will most probably follow an original plot. The hate Huo’s The Witcher project received for deviating from the fantasy novel a tad too much is clearly not a good sign for Naruto fans.

Despite all these complications, other renowned crew members could still serve as a beacon of hope for the manga’s fans. Another beloved anime just proved today that live-action adaptations can also achieve the impossible.

Can the Lionsgate film be redeemed like the Netflix One Piece live-action?

Like Naruto, the live-action adaptation of the hugely popular One Piece anime was met with an abundance of skepticism initially. But the series that dropped earlier today has defied all expectations. Not only did it garner a rating of 8.2 on IMDb, but it also upheld the standards that its fans had set for it. Maybe under the guidance of the man who produced gems like Venom, Naruto’s live-action could achieve a similar feat. 

It was earlier announced that Marvel co-founder Avi Arad will serve as Lionsgate’s producer for the live-action. For this project, he has teamed up with none other than The Greatest Showman’s director, Michael Gracey. Perhaps, through them, the Lionsgate production can do justice to the arc of the live-action. After all, if Netflix can pull it off with One Piece, so can Lionsgate. Even if it cost the OTT mogul a rather hefty sum to do so. 

Meanwhile, the One Piece fanbase is feeling rather smug about the turnaround their favorite anime’s live-action made. The series even garnered support from Eiichiro Oda, who lauded the streaming giant for a job well done. Initially, the creator posed as one of the many hurdles Netflix faced. But eventually, it all worked out for the seemingly iconic live-action of One Piece. Naruto fans can only hope that eventually, their favorite anime will fare the same way, if not better!

Do you think that Tasha Huo will be able to redeem her reputation with the Naruto live-action? Or do you reckon the film is headed in the wrong direction? Share your thoughts in the comments.