New Naruto Anime Movie Reportedly Set for NYCC 2026 — What's Confirmed and What Isn't

Variety reports that a new Naruto anime film is expected to be announced at New York Comic Con’s NARUTO: What’s Next? panel on October 10, 2026. That’s a report, not a confirmation — NYCC’s own official panel description doesn’t name a film at all, and Red Reactions isn’t treating “expected” as “confirmed” here.

Confirmed vs. Reported

	Confirmed by NYCC	Reported by Variety
Panel exists, date, time, location	✅	—
Guests attending	✅	—
New anime film announcement	❌	✅ (expected)
Card Game news/first look	✅	✅
“New roadmap” for the franchise	✅ (vague)	—

What NYCC has actually confirmed

The panel is real and scheduled: NARUTO: What’s Next? runs Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 5:00–6:00 p.m. ET on the North-Level 5: Empire Stage at the Javits Center. NYCC’s official program description reads:

“Join us for an exclusive look at what’s next for NARUTO with our guests, voice actors Junko Takeuchi (Naruto Uzumaki) and Noriaki Sugiyama (Sasuke Uchiha)! Get the latest updates on the anime, the NARUTO CARD GAME, and other exciting new projects. Plus, be among the first to see the new roadmap for the future of the NARUTO universe!”

Confirmed guests are Junko Takeuchi (Japanese voice of Naruto Uzumaki) and Noriaki Sugiyama (Japanese voice of Sasuke Uchiha), with Studio Pierrot executive producer Yoshihiko Tominaga also reported to appear. Notice what that official description does not say: it promises “other exciting new projects” and a “roadmap,” not a named film.

What Variety is reporting

Variety’s report — the origin point for essentially every other outlet’s coverage of this story — is what specifically raises the possibility of “an announcement related to a new animated film.” Until NYCC, VIZ Media, Studio Pierrot, or the official Naruto channels confirm that directly, it remains sourced to Variety’s reporting rather than an official statement. Red Reactions is not speculating about a title, plot, release date, director, writer, studio assignment, or any Boruto/Naruto/Sasuke role in a film that hasn’t been officially confirmed to exist.

Don’t confuse this with two other Naruto projects

Two separate, real Naruto projects are already in motion, and neither is confirmed to be the reported NYCC film:

The delayed 20th-anniversary episodes. Four special episodes marking Naruto’s 20th anniversary, produced by Studio Pierrot and Huahan Animation, were originally due in September 2023 and have been delayed since. Production reportedly wrapped in 2025, with a late-2026 broadcast window being reported — but that’s a separate, pre-existing project, not something NYCC’s panel is introducing for the first time.

The live-action Naruto film. A live-action movie directed by Destin Daniel Cretton is in development at Lionsgate, separately from anything tied to NYCC. It has its own casting process underway and is not the project Variety’s report concerns.

Assuming any of these three — the reported new film, the delayed anniversary episodes, or the live-action movie — are the same thing would be a mistake NYCC’s own materials don’t support.

What happens next

If NYCC, VIZ Media, or Studio Pierrot confirm a new film at or before the October 10 panel, Red Reactions will update this article with the actual details. Until then, treat “new Naruto anime film” as reported and anticipated, not announced.