A long-running anime series based on the manga ran from 2002 to 2007 with an English dub running in the U.S. from 2005 to 2009 on Cartoon Network's Toonami. Ten animated Naruto movies have been produced.

VFX artist turned director Michael Gracey, who will soon make his directorial debut with the P.T. Barnum musical The Greatest Showman, has been attached to direct the movie since 2015. Avi Arad is producing via his Arad Productions banner.

The Hoebers previously worked with Lionsgate on the action comedy Red (2010) and its sequel Red 2 (2013), which grossed a collective $347 million worldwide. The duo also wrote Warner Bros.' upcoming monster movie Meg, starring Jason Statham and Ruby Rose.

They are repped by Verve and Peikoff Mahan.