Naruto’s live-action film has raised some major questions amongst the anime community, as various fans question who will be chosen to bring the live-action Team 7 to the silver screen. Thanks to the expanding interest in the Hidden Leaf Village, anime enthusiasts have been scouring the past to discover hidden truths revolving around Masashi Kishimoto’s shonen masterpiece. One of the biggest discoveries has been a section of the now-defunct Wizard Magazine, which had its own idea for who should play the likes of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. Trust us when we say, you might not be prepared for these casting picks.
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Wizard, for those who might not know, was a pop culture publication that dove heavily into the world of comic books, occasionally dipping its toes into all things anime. Printing its first issue in 1991, the publication would eventually come to a close in 2011, meaning there were decades of this magazine to comb through. Thanks to Lionsgate’s renewed interest in creating a live-action Naruto, fans discovered that Wizard Magazine had cast the shonen heroes and villains. The wild picks included Dylan Sprouse (The Suite Life of Zack And Cody) as Naruto, Mitchel Musso (Hannah Montana) as Sasuke, and Jennette McCurdy (iCarly) as Sakura. Perhaps most shocking is that Wizard chose John Krasinski (Jim from The Office) to play Kakashi while Alan Rickman was the pick for Orochimaru. You can see these eye-popping casting choices below.
Will a Live Action Naruto Work?
For years, the idea of an anime receiving a live-action adaptation was almost seen as blasphemy within the anime fan community. Examples such as Dragon Ball Evolution, Ghost in the Shell, and Fist of the North Star were more than enough to kill the idea of live-action anime movies for many. Luckily, the opening salvo for the Naruto production has won over many fans, thanks in part to director Destin Daniel Cretton. While the director has been busy with Spider-Man: Brand New Way, he is deadset on doing justice to Masashi Kishimoto’s shonen franchise. Cretton has even gone so far as to get approval from Kishimoto himself, proving that he is willing to go the extra mile to make sure the adaptation is worthy of the shonen story.
As of the writing of this article, no story details have been revealed regarding the upcoming adaptation, though there are at least a few characters who are sure to appear. Team 7 and their teacher Kakashi are, most likely, a lock for the movie considering their importance to the overall franchise. As for whether Orochimaru will appear, it depends on if the movie will focus on the Chunin Exams in full.
What do you think of these wild casting picks? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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