With "The Last: Naruto the Movie" acting as the final chapter in the life of Konoha's Uzumaki Naruto, fans have wondered if manga creator Masashi Kishimoto would come out with a whole new series that would rival or parallel the success of the "Naruto" franchise.
Fans were surprised when the manga did not stop on its 700th chapter, but rather went on to continue the story of Naruto and the ninja world in general. The on-going serialization of "Naruto Gaiden" follows the story of Naruto as he goes about his work as the seventh Hokage, together with the grown-up versions of the Konoha ninjas fans have seen in previous chapters. There are also new characters in the form of the ninjas' offspring, particularly Boruto, Naruto and Hinata's child, and Sarada, Sasuke and Sakura's daughter.
As the manga serialization continues, so does the movie tie-in. The next installment in the film series, "Boruto: Naruto the Movie," has already been confirmed and will be shown on August 7 in Japan. The film is the collaboration between Kishimoto and Ukyo Kodachi. Hiroyuki Yamashita, who directed the "Naruto Shippuden" anime series, is also the director for the upcoming film.
The good news for the legions of "Naruto" fans worldwide is that the film may be getting an international release after the screening in Japan, with North America most likely to get the film this fall. Other countries are also on the list for a late 2015 release. However, it is unclear if the international version of the film will be a subtitled one, or if the producers are thinking of having an English-dubbed movie.
The film will follow Boruto as he tries to follow and surpass his father, the seventh Hokage. Spoilers point out that in the movie, Sasuke will be Boruto's master.
