Lionsgate Studio has signed on Michael Gracey to direct an adaptation of the wildly popular manga series "Naruto," as reported by Variety. The manga debuted in 1997 written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto and it sold more than 200 million print copies. The story follows young ninja Naruto Uzumaki as he dreams of becoming the village ninja.
The studio is still in negotiations for the rights. Avi Arad and Ari Arad are set to produce the film. Gracey is a visual effects specialist who has moved into directing. We'll keep you updated as this develops.