Naruto's Live-Action Movie: Overcoming the Villain Dilemma

The Villain Dilemma

The live-action Naruto movie is happening, and it has to overcome one big villain dilemma to be a success. Based on the manga series of the same name by Masashi Kishimoto, the Naruto live-action movie was announced by Lionsgate nearly a decade ago and has only recently seen significant updates regarding its development. Chiefly among these updates is the news that the live-action Naruto movie has a writer in The Witcher: Blood Origin's Tasha Huo. With the film seemingly moving forward now, it will be interesting to see how the project deals with a challenging aspect of the Naruto villains.

Zabuza frowns as he looks down on Naruto in Naruto

Naruto has one of the greatest lineups of villains in all of shonen manga, from Orochimaru and his followers to the Akatsuki and the forces controlling the group from the shadows. However, most of Naruto's iconic villains do not appear until much later in the series. This presents a significant challenge for the live-action adaptation of the movie.

Zabuza traps Kakashi using his water prison jutsu in Naruto

Zabuza originally appeared in one arc, and while he would be a sensible option, including him early on wouldn't make too much sense for the live-action adaptation narratively. Orochimaru, on the other hand, would make more sense because of its accuracy to the manga and anime, but he isn't as great a threat as Orochimaru. However, including Orochimaru would mean the adaptation would have to include the Chūnin Exams arc, which also wouldn't make sense timeline-wise. This dilemma sets the stage for a crucial decision in the development of the live-action Naruto movie.

A wounded Zabuza holds a kunai in between his teeth while fighting an off-screen opponent in Naruto

The question remains: How can the live-action adaptation incorporate the right villain without sacrificing the narrative flow and staying true to the source material?

Zabuza cries while covered in blood in Naruto

The Case for Zabuza

Zabuza, the main antagonist of Naruto's Land of Waves arc, is a natural choice as the villain due to its accuracy with the manga and anime. He was one of the earliest threats Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi faced as a team, and their battle with him resulted in one of the best and most emotional fights in Naruto. However, despite Zabuza's clash with the titular ninja and his friends, he had very little screen time in the source material, originally appearing in the Land of Waves arc - itself only lasting nineteen episodes. While Zabuza would be the natural choice as the villain due to its accuracy with the manga and anime, the lack of proper build-up to him and shared screen time with Haku could make for a disappointing villain if not done properly.

A dying Zabuza holds a dying Haku's head in Naruto

The challenge lies in portraying Zabuza as a significant threat on the big screen, given his limited presence in the source material. Can the live-action adaptation do justice to Zabuza's character and make him a compelling villain without the necessary build-up? This is a crucial consideration in the decision-making process for the movie's development.

Orochimaru sticks out his tongue in an episode of Naruto

The Argument for Orochimaru

Orochimaru would likely make a much stronger candidate for the villain in the live-action Naruto movie since he's far more popular and impactful to the overarching story of Naruto than Zabuza. Additionally, his influence on the characters and the anime far exceeds that of most of Naruto's villains. His interactions with the cast have led to some of the best fights in Naruto, thus providing the producers with plenty of material to translate into a cinematic context. However, his introduction coincides with the beloved Chūnin Exams arc which occurs much later down the line narrative-wise, thus skipping straight to him wouldn't make sense.

Orochimaru looks smug in one of Naruto's flashback scenes

The challenge with Orochimaru lies in his introduction, which aligns with a significant narrative arc that occurs much later in the series. Can the live-action adaptation find a way to include Orochimaru without disrupting the timeline and narrative flow? This presents a compelling case for the creative team behind the live-action Naruto movie to explore alternative ways to incorporate Orochimaru into the storyline.

Orochimaru stands with a snake over his shoulder in Boruto

The Solution: Including Both Villains

The smartest way for the live-action Naruto movie to address its villain problem would be to include both Zabuza and Orochimaru to varying degrees. Considering that Zabuza played a smaller role in the series compared to Orochimaru, he could work as the tertiary villain, one whom Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura would need to defeat to prove themselves worthy enough to move forward and later enter the Chūnin Exams. Orochimaru, on the other hand, could be the main villain pulling the strings from behind the scenes, thus setting the stage for a sequel. This approach would provide enough screen time to develop both characters and include both villains in the live-action Naruto movie realistically.

Orochimaru looks at the clone that would become Mitsuki in Boruto

The inclusion of both Zabuza and Orochimaru in the live-action adaptation not only addresses the villain dilemma but also sets the stage for a compelling narrative that stays true to the source material while captivating the audience. This creative solution allows the live-action Naruto movie to leverage the strengths of both villains and create a captivating storyline that paves the way for potential sequels.

Orochimaru emerging from a snake's mouth in Nartuo Shippuden