A vintage fan-cast from Anime Insider magazine has resurfaced online, offering a wild, westernized 2000s time capsule of a live-action Naruto. The nostalgic list leans heavily on Disney and Nickelodeon stars of the era, sparking fresh debate among anime fans.
The magazine cast Dylan Sprouse (The Suite Life) as Naruto, pitching him as the "missing triplet." Mitchel Musso (Hannah Montana) was tapped for Sasuke Uchiha, while Jennette McCurdy (iCarly) was named as Sakura Haruno. Meanwhile, John Krasinski jumped from The Office to become Kakashi Hatake. The ultimate choice, however, was Alan Rickman as Orochimaru, capitalizing on his iconic Snape energy to play the pasty, villainous snake.
The resurfaced list comes at a perfect time, as Lionsgate has greenlit a real live-action Naruto film directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, which will rightfully prioritize Asian and mixed-race Asian actors.