Oscar winner Michael B. Jordan reveals he has original anime projects in development. Read his full Vogue cover interview breakdown and career updates.
Fresh off his Best Actor Oscar win for playing twin brothers Smoke and Stack in Ryan Coogler's critically acclaimed thriller Sinners, Hollywood superstar Michael B. Jordan has revealed that he is officially developing multiple original anime projects. Gracing the cover of Vogue for its October 2026 issue, the 39-year-old actor and director opened up about his lifelong obsession with Japanese animation and hinted at a long-term career pivot into the medium. Highlighting his deep roots with iconic series like Dragon Ball Z and Naruto, Jordan joked during his cover story interview that he might eventually step away from live-action acting to focus entirely on creating anime.
What Did Michael B. Jordan Say About Leaving Acting for Anime?
During his feature interview with Vogue reporter Kelefa Sanneh, Jordan spoke candidly about his creative aspirations beyond traditional Hollywood filmmaking.
- Full-Time Animation Ambitions: Discussing his plans for creative reflection following a decade of non-stop filming, Jordan lightheartedly stated that he might just quit everything else and dedicate the rest of his life to producing anime.
- Original Projects in Development: Jordan confirmed that he has multiple anime concepts in early production stages under his Outlier Society banner, aiming to build direct collaborations with top Japanese animation studios.
- Childhood Nostalgia and Inspiration: The Newark, New Jersey native recalled sneaking into the basement of his childhood church to watch episodes of Dragon Ball Z, citing Hajime no Ippo, Megalo Box, My Hero Academia, and Naruto as foundational influences on his storytelling philosophy.
How Has Michael B. Jordan Integrated Anime Into His Career So Far?
Jordan's passion for anime is far from a recent trend, as the superstar has systematically woven Japanese animation style into his high-profile commercial and cinematic projects over the past decade.
- Fashion Collaborations: In 2019, Jordan partnered with global luxury brand Coach to design an official Naruto-inspired apparel and footwear capsule collection incorporating Leaf Village symbols.
- Directing Creed III Fight Scenes: For his 2023 directorial debut Creed III, Jordan explicitly utilized camera angles, impact frames, and cross-counter punch choreography inspired by Dragon Ball Z and Megalo Box.
- Official Japanese Anime Companion: Following Creed III, Jordan partnered directly with legendary Japanese animation studio TMS Entertainment to produce an exclusive companion anime short that screened in Japanese cinemas.
- Voice Acting Experience: Jordan previously voiced Julian Chase in Rooster Teeth's sci-fi anime series gen:LOCK and recently voiced Ollie in the Netflix animated feature Swapped.
What Other Live-Action Movies and Shows Is Michael B. Jordan Working On?
Despite his playful comments about stepping away from live-action films, Jordan maintains one of the busiest production schedules in the entertainment industry.
- The Thomas Crown Affair: Jordan is currently in post-production on a modern adaptation of The Thomas Crown Affair for Amazon MGM Studios, which he directed, produced, and stars in alongside Adria Arjona and Kenneth Branagh.
- Miami Vice Reboot: This autumn, Jordan begins filming a high-octane Miami Vice reboot alongside Austin Butler, taking on the iconic role of Ricardo Tubbs.
- Delphi Television Series: As executive producer, Jordan is developing Delphi, an upcoming television spin-off set inside the Creed universe centered around a hard-hitting boxing gym.
- Battlefield Feature Film: Jordan and director Christopher McQuarrie are actively pitching a live-action film adaptation of Electronic Arts' world-famous military shooter franchise, Battlefield.
Catch Michael B. Jordan's Oscar-winning performance in Sinners on Max or stream his voice role in Swapped on Netflix.