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Spider-Man: Brand New Day director’s live-action Naruto movie might have cast its first actor, and it’s one of the MCU’s rumored X-Men
Charles Melton is reportedly in talks to play Kakashi Hatake in Lionsgate’s planned live-action Naruto film, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. If agreed, it would mark the project’s first reported casting of a named actor and a significant step for an adaptation that has spent years in development, although neither the studio nor Melton has formally confirmed the deal.
Kakashi is Team 7’s masked mentor, while worldwide auditions are under way for its younger central characters: Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. Cretton, who directed Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Shang-Chi, is also writing the film; production is reportedly expected to begin in the first half of 2027. Melton has recently been linked to Marvel’s prospective X-Men film as Beast, but that rumour likewise remains unconfirmed.
In short
- Charles Melton is reportedly in talks to play Kakashi.
- No casting deal has been officially confirmed.
- Naruto filming is reportedly targeting early 2027.
Explained simply
Naruto is a Japanese manga and anime series about a young ninja who wants to become the leader of his village and earn the respect of its people. Its story follows Naruto and fellow young ninjas Sasuke and Sakura as they train and take on missions.
Kakashi Hatake is the experienced, masked ninja who mentors the three young characters as Team 7. The planned film is a live-action adaptation, meaning actors will portray characters from the series. Lionsgate is developing it, with Destin Daniel Cretton set to direct and write.
The project has been in development for several years, and casting its central characters is a key part of moving it towards production. Charles Melton is known for film and television roles, and has also been linked in media reports to a possible role as Marvel character Beast; that casting rumour has not been confirmed.
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