Naruto's Officially Confirmed Anime Sequel Will Revive The Franchise

Published Oct 4, 2026, 7:00 PM EDT An experienced Editor representing Canada via ScreenRant's Team Anime, J.R. has been reading manga since the first printing of Shonen Jump in North America. This passion drove him to write about anime, manga, and manhwa since 2022, having recently served as Lead Anime Editor for ComicBook.com. His favorite moments in media coverage include reviewing the series premieres of Zom 100 and Bleach: TYBW Part 2 back-to-back and briefly meeting Junji Ito at a VIZ gallery event in 2023. Sign in to your ScreenRant account It has been three and a half years since the last anime TV or movie release of any kind for the Naruto franchise. The most recent installment was Boruto: Naruto Next Generations episode 293, in which Naruto's son makes a miraculous return, but in exchange for him being changed forever on a DNA level. But yet, the latest confirmation of a new Naruto project to get further unveiling at New York Comic Con 2026 strongly suggests the original Konoha shinobi who started it all is getting a proper anime sequel. But as VIZ Media's press release, and further reporting via Variety suggested last month, the most concrete announcement so far was surprisingly for a new animated Naruto film. Naturally, even a new Naruto anime movie would be thrilling news, especially as major movies set in massive shonen universes are dominating public discourse. One Piece is debuting two films including a closer canonical look at God Valley, and Demon Slayer has topped all-time box office revenue records twice now with (timed) theater-exclusive debuts of two major anime arcs ahead of going to streaming. A Naruto film would at least satisfy fan curiosity about what's next in the franchise, but as everyone knows, VIZ Media isn't the only company connected to the franchise leaving major hints about the October 10 announcement. Naruto Will Confirm New Anime With Details For Global Premiere This Saturday Speculation has been running high on just how the Naruto franchise could expand outward with its October 10 "NARUTO: What's Next?" panel at New York Comic Con 2026. It teases various surprise announcements regarding other media developments on top of news about its brand-new Naruto Card Game, with the Naruto film as a headliner confirmation ahead of the panel raises several questions. Will this film cover new territory? Where in the timeline will the next Naruto movie take place? Perhaps most crucially, though, it begs the question of what other affiliates are saying in addition to this. There's even debate about the conflicting wording or translation between trustworthy sources. VIZ Media's press release hints at the following announcements to feature at Naruto's NYCC 2026 panel: ​​​​​ An announcement related to a new animated film and its worldwide premiere. New information and the first promotional video for the NARUTO CARD GAME. Surprise announcements regarding other media developments. While VIZ is touting its film news front and center, the Naruto website's English news portal is intentionally vague and keeping fans focused on the simple truth that, film or TV show, this is a new Naruto anime. In addition to the Boruto 10th Anniversary's special site portal teasing another announcement, which could just as easily be another manga trailer, speculation is swirling as violently as a Rasengan, especially with various social channels and the event's upcoming YouTube livestream mentioning a "New NARUTO TV Anime Limited Series". The short answer is there's no explicit confirmation that one possibility invalidates the other. In fact, a Naruto or Boruto anime announcement could just as easily have room alongside a film announcement, with "other media developments" fitting nicely either way. One can only hope, though, that the VIZ press release isn't a misinterpretation of Pierrot Films and production producer Yoshihiko Tominaga's presence on the panel as a confirmation of a movie rather than a TV show. Following ScreenRant's inquiry about this, VIZ confirmed that, beyond their current press release, there is no further point of reference or clarity at this moment. Any updates before October 10 will be reflected here. Naruto's Limited TV Series Announcement Has A Fairly Obvious Main Candidate Back on March 9, 2023, Naruto's anime announced as part of its 20th Anniversary celebration that four brand-new episodes would be released in September later that year. September came and went, along with three more years, and nothing ever materialized. But among its various teases, a new key visual of Team 7 was released on July 22, again in 2023, only for silence after its anticipated limited weekly run set for September 3. That same key visual is now featured on the same news posting discussing the global reveal of a "completely new Naruto anime". It stands to reason that, should we indeed get a limited series among the announcements, this will be how those promised four episodes will release. It'd be a stretch to go further by assuming that Naruto's length lends itself nicely to a feature-length premiere a la Dandadan: Evil Eye outright. But it's also not outside the realm of the possibility of re-cutting Naruto's four episodes into a movie, albeit a possibly disjointed one. But even this premiere would have Naruto fans happily seated, and with there already being confirmation of Boruto's anime return for quite some time at this point, alongside the new Naruto Card Game, more monthly chapters of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, and whatever other surprises may come on Naruto's birthday, the October 10 stream is a must-see event for anyone calling themselves a Naruto fan. New York Comic Con 2026's Naruto Event Will Reignite The Franchise Custom Image by Vanessa Piña It's certainly still true that Naruto's franchise has been technically active since 2023. Boruto: Two Blue Vortex debuted later that year and has released regular monthly installments. Video games like Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections and Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker have continued to get updates as recently as the past two months, collectively. The Naruto Card Game will debut in 2027, and Destin Daniel Cretton's Naruto film will unite the fandom and likely brand-new audiences for the big screen. But even then, the fandom that latched on from the beginning will easily still get the most excited for more Naruto anime. Hidden Leaf Village · Chunin Exam NarutoTrivia Challenge 🔥 Jinchūriki Believe it! 🔴 Sharingan Copy ninja 🌀 Jutsu Rasengan! 🌿 Village Will of Fire ⚡ Bonds Unbreakable BELIEVE IT! → 01 Naruto Uzumaki carries an immense burden — a powerful Tailed Beast sealed inside him since birth by the Fourth Hokage. This fox demon’s chakra gives Naruto extraordinary power but also makes him an outcast. What is the name of this Nine-Tailed Beast? AShukaku BMatatabi CKurama DGyuki ✓ Correct! Kurama is the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed within Naruto by his father, the Fourth Hokage. Initially a source of fear and hatred, Kurama eventually becomes one of Naruto’s closest allies. Their bond is one of the most emotional arcs in the entire series. ✗ Substitution jutsu failed! The answer is Kurama. Shukaku is the One-Tail sealed in Gaara, Matatabi is the Two-Tails, and Gyuki is the Eight-Tails sealed in Killer Bee. Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox, is Naruto’s legendary partner. NEXT → 02 Naruto’s greatest rival is a prodigy from a prestigious clan who possesses a powerful eye technique called the Sharingan. Consumed by a desire for vengeance against his older brother, he defects from the Hidden Leaf Village. Who is this rival? ANeji Hyuga BSasuke Uchiha CGaara DRock Lee ✓ Correct! Sasuke Uchiha is Naruto’s eternal rival and best friend. After the Uchiha massacre, Sasuke’s obsession with killing his brother Itachi drives him to leave the village and seek power at any cost. Their rivalry is the emotional backbone of the entire series. ✗ Substitution jutsu failed! The answer is Sasuke Uchiha. Neji is a Hyuga clan genius with the Byakugan, Gaara is the Sand Village’s jinchūriki, and Rock Lee is the taijutsu specialist. Only Sasuke wields the Sharingan and defects to join Orochimaru. NEXT → 03 Naruto’s signature jutsu is a spinning sphere of concentrated chakra formed in the palm of his hand. Originally created by the Fourth Hokage and taught to Naruto by Jiraiya, it becomes the foundation for many of his most powerful attacks. What is this technique called? ARasengan BChidori CShadow Clone Jutsu DSage Art: Lava Rasenshuriken ✓ Correct! The Rasengan is a pure chakra manipulation technique that doesn’t require hand signs. Created by Minato Namikaze and passed down through Jiraiya to Naruto, it evolves into many variations including the devastating Rasenshuriken with added Wind Release nature transformation. ✗ Substitution jutsu failed! The answer is the Rasengan. The Chidori is Sasuke and Kakashi’s lightning technique, Shadow Clone Jutsu is a different Naruto staple, and the Lava Rasenshuriken is a late-series variant. The base Rasengan is Naruto’s iconic spinning chakra sphere. NEXT → 04 Team 7’s leader is a mysterious, mask-wearing jonin known as the “Copy Ninja” for his ability to replicate over a thousand jutsu using his borrowed Sharingan eye. He’s always reading a certain novel. Who is this legendary sensei? AMight Guy BAsuma Sarutobi CJiraiya DKakashi Hatake ✓ Correct! Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja of the Sharingan, leads Team 7 (Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura). His Sharingan was a gift from his dying friend Obito Uchiha. Always cool under pressure and perpetually reading Make-Out Paradise, Kakashi eventually becomes the Sixth Hokage. ✗ Substitution jutsu failed! The answer is Kakashi Hatake. Might Guy leads Team Guy, Asuma leads Team 10, and Jiraiya is one of the Legendary Sannin who later trains Naruto. Only Kakashi is the masked Copy Ninja with a borrowed Sharingan who leads Team 7. NEXT → 05 Sasuke’s older brother massacred nearly the entire Uchiha clan in a single night, then joined the criminal organization Akatsuki. It was later revealed he did it all on orders from the village to prevent a coup — sacrificing everything to protect his brother. Who is this tragic figure? AMadara Uchiha BItachi Uchiha CObito Uchiha DShisui Uchiha ✓ Correct! Itachi Uchiha is one of Naruto’s most complex characters. A pacifist genius forced into an impossible choice, he bore the hatred of the entire world — including his beloved brother Sasuke — to protect the Hidden Leaf from civil war. His final words to Sasuke remain iconic. ✗ Substitution jutsu failed! The answer is Itachi Uchiha. Madara is the legendary clan founder, Obito is the masked man behind much of the war, and Shisui was Itachi’s best friend. Itachi alone carried out the massacre to prevent the Uchiha coup and protect Sasuke. NEXT → 06 From the very first episode, Naruto declares his lifelong dream to earn the respect of his village and prove his worth. He vows to achieve the highest rank in the Hidden Leaf — its supreme leader. What is this title that Naruto dreams of? AKazekage BJonin Commander CHokage DAnbu Captain ✓ Correct! Hokage is the title of the Hidden Leaf Village’s leader, and Naruto’s dream of becoming Hokage drives the entire series. After years of struggle, he finally achieves his dream and becomes the Seventh Hokage in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. ✗ Substitution jutsu failed! The answer is Hokage. The Kazekage leads the Sand Village, Jonin Commander is a military rank, and Anbu Captain leads black ops. The Hokage is the Hidden Leaf’s supreme leader — and Naruto’s lifelong dream since he was a lonely academy student. NEXT → 07 Naruto’s father was the Fourth Hokage, known as the “Yellow Flash of the Leaf” for his incredible speed using the Flying Thunder God technique. He sacrificed his life to seal the Nine-Tails inside his newborn son. What is his name? AMinato Namikaze BHiruzen Sarutobi CTobirama Senju DHashirama Senju ✓ Correct! Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage and Yellow Flash, sacrificed himself using the Reaper Death Seal to seal Kurama inside baby Naruto. His love for his son and faith in Naruto’s potential made him one of the series’ most selfless characters. ✗ Substitution jutsu failed! The answer is Minato Namikaze. Hiruzen Sarutobi is the Third Hokage, Tobirama Senju is the Second, and Hashirama Senju is the First. Minato, the Fourth Hokage, is Naruto’s father who sealed the Nine-Tails at the cost of his own life. NEXT → 08 A shy, kind-hearted kunoichi from the Hyuga clan admired Naruto from afar since their academy days. She boldly confessed her love while fighting Pain to protect him, and eventually became his wife. Who is this character? ASakura Haruno BIno Yamanaka CTemari DHinata Hyuga ✓ Correct! Hinata Hyuga went from a timid girl who could barely speak around Naruto to a fierce warrior who stood against Pain to protect him. Her confession during the Pain arc is one of the series’ most emotional moments. They marry in The Last: Naruto the Movie and have two children, Boruto and Himawari. ✗ Substitution jutsu failed! The answer is Hinata Hyuga. Sakura is Naruto’s teammate who loves Sasuke, Ino is Sakura’s rival from the Yamanaka clan, and Temari is a Sand Village kunoichi who marries Shikamaru. Only Hinata loved Naruto from the very beginning. REVEAL MY SCORE → Mission Complete Your Ninja Record / 8 Are you Hokage material — or still at the academy practicing clone jutsu? ↻ RETRY MISSION The various announcements teased at this event don't have to do much more than what's already recently appeared. Little Golden Books has even unleashed a ninja-themed alphabet book over the past month, and various voice cast members have discussed at varying lengths about their involvement in future Naruto projects. Pain's voice actor Troy Baker even recently confirmed to ScreenRant that he'd be open to returning if the right role comes along, in response to inquiries about whether he'd be interested in voice work for Boruto. But a major mainline Naruto anime announcement, plus whatever surprises may come, will be the keystone event making everything around it more meaningful by extension. TV Show(s) Naruto, Naruto: Shippuden, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Video Game(s) Naruto: Clash Of Ninja Revolution 3, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja (2003), Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4, Naruto: Rise Of A Ninja, Naruto: The Broken Bond, Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker, Naruto Shippuden Dragon Blade Chronicles, Naruto: Path Of The Ninja, Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections First Film Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow First TV Show Naruto Cast Junko Takeuchi, Maile Flanagan, Noriaki Sugiyama, Chie Nakamura, Kazuhiko Inoue, Nana Mizuki, Hideo Ishikawa, Yûko Sanpei Latest Film Boruto: Naruto the Movie