Lionsgate’s upcoming Naruto live-action project has the anime community buzzing with excitement. While fans await official casting announcements, an old Wizard Magazine article has resurfaced, revealing a list of Hollywood stars once imagined to play Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and other iconic characters.
These casting choices now come across as both surprising and amusing, quite different from what fans envision today.
Wizard Magazine’s Dream Cast Still Shocks Fans
For many younger readers, Wizard Magazine might be unfamiliar. It was a popular American pop culture magazine running from 1991 to 2011, covering comics, movies, and occasionally anime.
As interest in the Naruto live-action reboot surged, fans dug up old Wizard issues featuring a speculative cast list for a live-action Naruto adaptation.
The magazine’s picks surprised many online. Dylan Sprouse (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) was chosen as Uzumaki Naruto. Mitchel Musso (Hannah Montana) was nominated for Uchiha Sasuke. Jennette McCurdy (iCarly) was expected to play Haruno Sakura.
Even more eye-catching were the choices for major characters.
Wizard imagined John Krasinski, famous for playing Jim on The Office, as Hatake Kakashi, while the late legendary actor Alan Rickman was seen as the perfect fit for the villain Orochimaru.
Although this was just a speculative article from over a decade ago, many fans consider it one of the most unique Naruto casting lists ever.
Higher Hopes for Naruto Live-Action Now
For years, live-action anime adaptations have made fans wary after flops like Dragon Ball Evolution, Ghost in the Shell, and Fist of the North Star. Yet Naruto’s live-action film is expected to be different.
The biggest reason is that the project is helmed by Destin Daniel Cretton, director of the successful Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, who is also working on Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
More importantly, Cretton has emphasized his commitment to respecting the original work and has collaborated directly with Masashi Kishimoto. The Naruto creator has expressed trust in Cretton, giving fans more confidence in the project’s quality.
Team 7 Is Almost Certain to Appear
So far, Lionsgate has not revealed the film’s plot or official cast.
However, it’s almost certain that Team 7, Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and their teacher Kakashi, will be central characters, as they are essential to the story’s beginning.
Whether Orochimaru appears depends on the timeline the film chooses to cover. If it focuses only on Naruto’s early ninja days, Orochimaru likely won’t show up. But if the story extends to the Chunin Exams, the legendary villain will almost certainly be included.