New Naruto Anime Film Announcement Expected at NYCC 2026

A new anime film for the Naruto franchise is expected to be announced at New York Comic Con 2026. According to an exclusive report from Variety, the announcement will be made during a franchise panel on October 10 at New York's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

The panel's highlights are expected to include the film announcement and details on its worldwide premiere. Variety's report states the event will also feature "new information and the first promotional video for the Naruto Card Game, and additional surprise announcements regarding other media developments." VIZ Media has already teased that a new project will be revealed.

Event and Guest Details

Special guests for the panel include Junko Takeuchi, the Japanese voice actor for Naruto Uzumaki, and Noriaki Sugiyama, the voice of Sasuke Uchiha. Studio Pierrot executive producer Yoshihiko Tominaga and a representative from Bandai are also scheduled to be present, according to the Variety report.

The Naruto franchise began as a manga by Masashi Kishimoto, serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from September 1999 to November 2014. Studio Pierrot's anime adaptation premiered in October 2002.

Broader Franchise Context

The source material outlines the franchise's extensive history and current projects. The original Naruto anime ran for 220 episodes, followed by the 500-episode sequel series, Naruto: Shippuden. The current sequel, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, has its own complex production timeline.

The Boruto manga, originally written by Ukyo Kodachi with story later taken over by Masashi Kishimoto and illustrations by Mikio Ikimoto, began in 2016. Its Part 2, titled Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, started in August 2023. The Boruto anime adaptation began broadcasting in April 2017 but went on a break in March 2023. A planned four-episode special for September 2023 was delayed to improve quality.

Other Announced Projects

Beyond the anticipated film, other Naruto projects are in development. A new Naruto Card Game TCG is announced for 2027. A non-verbal live-action show is scheduled to run at Kyoto's Minamiza Theater from February until June 2027. Also, a separate live-action film directed by Destin Daniel Cretton has recently begun a cast search for the main characters of Team 7.

The October 2026 panel promises to be a major event for franchise news. The involvement of key voice actors and producers suggests significant updates are planned.