YouTube creator Jimmy Donaldson, widely known as Mr. Beast, recently declared his interest in financing a full-scale remake of the Naruto anime series. The internet personality shared his intent in a post on X, formerly Twitter, while discussing the ongoing production of a new version of the One Piece franchise.
While Donaldson’s influence as a global content creator is significant, industry observers note that the Naruto franchise is tightly controlled by Japanese production committees. Major projects of this scale typically require approval from rights holders and long-standing animation studios, rather than individual external investors.
Delays for 20th anniversary specials
The discussion surrounding a potential remake arrives as fans continue to wait for a series of four special episodes originally announced in 2023. These episodes were intended to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Masashi Kishimoto’s iconic creation.
Studio Pierrot, the animation house behind the series, previously released a 10-minute compilation video featuring remastered footage and new sequences to mark the milestone. However, the production committee later postponed the release of the four planned specials to improve overall quality.
TV Tokyo, the Japanese broadcaster, confirmed that the episodes would not premiere in 2025. According to reports from the industry insider account SugoiLites, the specials could potentially arrive in 2026. Neither the studio nor the production committee has verified these dates.
Details regarding the content of these specials remain scarce. Reports from GameRant suggest the narrative could focus on events occurring prior to the Naruto Shippuden storyline, with at least one episode running approximately an hour in length.
For now, the original Naruto series remains available for streaming in various regions through platforms including Crunchyroll, Netflix, Pluto TV, and Max. While Donaldson’s offer reflects the massive popularity of the ninja saga, the future of the franchise rests with the existing stakeholders in Japan.
