The long-gestating live-action Naruto film just took its most concrete step yet: on July 9, 2026, the official franchise site opened a global casting call for its three leads — Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. Destin Daniel Cretton (*Shang-Chi*) directs for Lionsgate, with Tasha Huo writing. Lionsgate has held the rights since 2015, so a public casting call is the clearest signal in a decade that this is really moving. If it pulled you back toward the source, here's where the anime stands.
Quick answer
Naruto (Studio Pierrot, 220 episodes, 2002) is streaming on Crunchyroll and Hulu, with the sequel Naruto: Shippuden continuing the story. Watch order is simple: Naruto → Naruto: Shippuden → Boruto. According to SenpaiRanks, the original series holds an adjusted 7.74 on the dual-axis board — one of the strongest Consensus scores among long-running shonen. The live-action film from Lionsgate is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton; a release date hasn't been set.
Where to start
New to it? Start with the original 2002 series (Studio Pierrot), which runs 220 episodes and covers Naruto's academy days through the Chunin Exams and the Sasuke retrieval arc. From there, Shippuden time-skips into the war saga most fans consider the peak. The franchise is dense, but the entry point never changes — begin at episode 1. For where the whole run sits against its peers, our best anime to watch in 2026 board is the fastest map.
The call
Is Naruto good? For a shonen this old, it holds up unusually well — the emotional core (found family, the cost of hatred) is why it still recruits new fans two decades on. Per SenpaiRanks's ranking, its adjusted 7.74 puts it in the upper tier of long-running shonen, near Hunter x Hunter and Attack on Titan. Here's our wedge: a single aggregate score flattens a 220-episode show into one number. SenpaiRanks splits Consensus (how the crowd rates it) from Quality (how it holds up on rewatch), so you see why it ranks where it does — and if you rate Naruto yourself, you move its board position. That's the thing a static list on a MyAnimeList alternative can't replicate.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Where can I watch Naruto?
A: Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden stream on Crunchyroll and Hulu, subbed and dubbed.
Q: What's the correct Naruto watch order?
A: Naruto (2002) → Naruto: Shippuden → Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.
Q: Is Naruto good?
A: Yes — it's one of the defining shonen series. SenpaiRanks tracks the original at an adjusted 7.74, upper-tier among long-running shonen.
Q: Who is directing the live-action Naruto movie?
A: Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi) directs for Lionsgate, with Tasha Huo writing. A global casting call opened in July 2026 for Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.
Q: When does the live-action Naruto film release?
A: No release date has been announced. The casting call is the current milestone.