Charles Melton is reportedly in the final stages of negotiations to play the iconic masked ninja Kakashi in Destin Daniel Cretton’s upcoming live-action Naruto adaptation.
The casting choice feels fitting given Melton’s well-documented passion for anime and manga. Known for his work in Riverdale and Beef Season 2, the actor revealed in an April interview that he frequently stays up until 4:00 AM binge-watching series like Dragon Ball Z, Demon Slayer, and Jujutsu Kaisen.
Beyond his otaku credentials, Melton also brings legitimate physical training to the role. He holds a second-degree black belt in taekwondo and previously won gold in the International Taekwondo Federation foreign nationals division while living in South Korea.
Fans on social media quickly connected the dots regarding this casting news, suggesting that Melton’s involvement as Kakashi explains why he reportedly passed on playing the mutant Beast in Marvel’s upcoming X-Men project—a role ultimately handled by Kelsey Grammer.
While the search for Kakashi is practically wrapped up, the production is still hunting for its main lead. A global open casting call launched in the summer of 2026 for young male actors aged 16 to 20 who are fluent in English, athletic, and expressive to take on the role of Naruto Uzumaki himself.
Manga creator Masashi Kishimoto shared his excitement for the Hollywood adaptation on the official Naruto website, expressing disbelief that his creation is making the jump to the big screen, especially with Cretton at the helm.
This film marks the next major directorial effort for Cretton following the historic box office success of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which shattered franchise records and became one of the highest-grossing Marvel films of all time.