Naruto Live Action Movie: Actors We Want To Play The Major Characters

A live action Naruto movie has been in development hell since ages. Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto has said numerous times that the cult-classic manga and anime series is getting the live-action treatment in Hollywood. Despite the movie being years away from getting into production, it has not stopped the fans from declaring their picks for actors to play major characters, should they ever appear in a movie.

(PS: We tried to keep the list as international and inclusive as possible all the while picking celebs with enough star power for the roles)

Naruto Uzumaki – Kento Yamazaki

Kento Yamazaki may not be as strong a name in the West. But he is a pretty huge deal in Japan. When he was only in his third year in Junior High, he was scouted by one of Japan’s top modelling agencies. He has starred in numerous high profile shows. Starting his career with a TV Drama, Kento Yamazaki has starred in the lead roles in works like Control Tower, a slivce of life drama about a loner, and The Wings Of The Kirin, a drama-mystery thriller. Since Naruto began its life in Japan, it would be wrong to assume a Caucasian actor take the helm of the titular role. We all know how Ghost In The Shell and Death Note turned out. Kento Yamazaki has the energy to shoulder the role and should be given a chance.

Sasuke Uchiha – Evan Evagora

Evan Evagora is an Australian actor who is a newcomer to the industry. Evagora is best known for his role as Elnor in the amazon prime series Star Trek: Picard. Sasuke Uchiha is a character that has always had an air of mystery around it. He remains aloof and broods all the time. Evagora has shown us he can do the same with his portrayal of Elnor, a Romulan survivor who is now a warrior and esteemed member of the Qowat Milat. This actor is extremely talented and we believe he can pull this off.

Sakura Haruno – Elle Fanning

Sakura Haruno is many things. But in Naruto, she represents vulnerability. She develops tremendously powerful abilities but is always dependent on her friends to get the job done. It is only later she learns the value of and honor in self-sufficiency. An actor that could represent such intense vulnerability and character development is none other than Elle Fanning, the actor who began her career with I Am Sam. She later went on to star in award winning roles in films like Phoebe In Wonderland, Maleficent, and The Great.

Also Read: 10 Craziest Naruto Fan Theories

Kakashi Hatake – Rain

Probably the coolest anime character ever, Kakashi Hatake is the epitome of style and panache. He is unlike any other character we have ever seen in Naruto. Coming from a dark past and a very morbid origin story, Kakashi Hatake’s motivations to become a Ninja have changed over the years. When he is not goofing around reading erotic fiction, Kakashi is out there kicking butts and looking good while doing it. With the mysterious nature of the character, we believe Rain aka South-Korean Actor Jung Ji-Hoon can portray him well.

Hiruzen Sarutobi – Morgan Freeman

Could there be any other actor who could have nailed the role other than the literal voice of the universe? Hiruzen Sarutobi is known as “the Professor”. He has studied and mastered all forms of Ninja Warfare. many a times, he is referred to as the Strongest Hokage ever. And that’s coming from a world that has Hokages like Minato Namikaze and Hashirama Senju.  The age and experience of the character is what makes Hiruzen so likeable. That is where Morgan Freeman comes in.

Lord Jiraiya – Jackie Chan

Kakashi Hatake may be the coolest character ever in anime but our favorite character is still Lord Jiraiya. The Pervy Toad Sage is the zenith of the term – “Looks can be deceiving”. He is quirky, extravagant, and a downright pervert. He is also one of the three Sannin, the three legendary ninjas of the Hidden Leaf Village. Our pick for Lord Jiraiya is none other than the quirky and equally playful Jackie Chan.

Tsunade Senju – Kelly Hu

In the world of Naruto, no woman could be ever as beautiful as Tsunade Senju. Blessed with the powerful Senju blood, she also possesses her family incredible life-force. This gives her near superhuman longevity and an incredibly long life span. Kelly Hu is one of the greatest Asian-American actors in the industry. If there ever is a Naruto live-action movie, it would be a crime to not cast her in the role of Tsunade.

Third Raikage – Dwayne Johnson

There are many powerful ninjas in Naruto. But only a handful of those get to become the head of an entire ninja village. The Hokage are obviously the strongest of all village heads. But the Raikage, the head of the Hidden Cloud Village, comes pretty close. Known by the name of A, he is probably the buffest of all Ninjas in the anime universe. using a special lightning technique, A gains inhuman amount of strength and speed. Since he belongs to an entirely different village in a different continent, having Dwayne Johnson play the role makes all the more sense.

Killer Bee – Michael B Jordan

Michael b Jordan has made a name for himself as an up and coming star who is sure to take the place of actors like Denzel Washington and Chiwetel Ejiofor in the long run. With movies like Creed and Black Panther to his name, he sure has talent to boast. He is still young though. And he could pretty much nail it as Killer Bee, the Jinchuriki of the Eight-Tails. Dwayne Johnson’s a and Michael B Jordan’s B would make for a killer duo.

Related: 10 Frustrating Naruto Mysteries That Still Haunt Us

Danzo Shimura – Donnie Yen

If you are a fan of the Ip man movies, you probably know who this guy is. Donnie Yen has also made a name for himself after starring in movies like Rogue One: a Star wars Story, Blade II, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, as well as XXX: Return Of Xander Cage. Danzo Shimura is the leader of Root, a shadowy organization that acts as Konoha’s covert ops force. Danzo has secrets to hide but in the end, he only wants to save the village, in his own twisted way. Donnie Yen would be perfect for the role.

Gaara – Mena Massoud

The Hidden Sand Village is populated by a group of people with an ethnicity diverges from the Hidden Leaf Village.  Given the geography and topology, the Sand Village ninjas identify the most with the Middle-eastern community in real life. Gaara was a young Jinchuriki who started out as a villain but eventually made friends with Naruto and is now the Kazekage of the Hidden sand Village. Mena Massoud, the Egyptian born actor who played the titular role of Aladdin in the movie of the same name, feels like the perfect choice for Gaara.