A live-action film based on the classic Japanese manga series Naruto is being developed by Hollywood studio Lionsgate.

According to entertainment news outlet Deadline, the studio has hired Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings maker Destin Daniel Cretton to direct the project.

The film adaptation will be produced by Avi Arad, Ari Arad, and Emmy Yu for Arad Productions, as well as Jeremy Latcham, Cretton, and Jeyun Munford for Hisako.

“It was a true honour to meet Kishimoto-san in Tokyo and hear his expansive vision for his creation,” Cretton said in a statement. “We are very excited to collaborate and bring Naruto to the big screen,” he added.

Sharing how he realised that Cretton is the “perfect director” for the adaptation after watching a blockbuster action film by him, Kishimoto said, “After enjoying his other films and understanding that his forte is in creating solid dramas about people, I became convinced that there is no other director for Naruto.”

Cretton previously collaborated with Lionsgate on The Glass Castle. The studio’s James Myers, who oversaw that project, will also oversee Naruto with Jon Humphrey. He is also set to direct a Shang-Chi sequel, and most recently he executive produced the series American Born Chinese for Disney+. He is represented by WME and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher.

With multiple animated movies, series, and games under its belt, Naruto has long been considered one of the Big Three of anime. Its manga alone has printed more than 250 million copies in more than 60 countries and garnered a nearly uncountable number of fans throughout the last few decades.