Actor Charles Melton is reportedly in final negotiations to play Kakashi in Destin Daniel Cretton's upcoming live-action Naruto film, according to sources cited by The Hollywood Reporter. This would mark a significant casting coup for the anime adaptation, as Melton is a genuine anime enthusiast and manga reader, lending credibility to a project that manga creator Masashi Kishimoto has spoken about with excitement and disbelief.

Melton, known for Beef and Riverdale, has previously named Dragon Ball Z, Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen among his favourite series, and holds a second-degree black belt in taekwondo, having won gold in an International Taekwondo Federation event while living in South Korea. Fans have noted the news explains his earlier decision to turn down the role of Beast in Marvel's X-Men film, which ultimately went to Kelsey Grammer. Casting for the title role of Naruto himself remains ongoing, with an open call seeking male actors aged 16 to 20, while the film follows Cretton's record-breaking Spider-Man: Brand New Day.