Charles Melton Nears Deal to Play Kakashi in Live-Action 'Naruto' Film

Key points

• Charles Melton is in final talks to play Kakashi Hatake, the elite mentor figure in the 'Naruto' franchise.
• Destin Daniel Cretton, known for 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' and 'Shang-Chi,' is set to direct the project.
• Lionsgate is conducting a worldwide casting search for the three lead roles: Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.
• The film is based on Masashi Kishimoto’s manga, which ran from 1999 to 2014 and sold over 250 million copies.
• Production is scheduled to start around February 2027, following Cretton’s recent blockbuster success.

Background

This development follows earlier industry speculation regarding live-action adaptations of major anime properties. The archive contains unrelated sports and celebrity news from mid-2026, but no prior coverage of this specific film project. The current news marks the first confirmed casting announcement for the 'Naruto' live-action movie.

How outlets are covering it

The Hollywood Reporter and TheWrap both confirm that Melton is in final negotiations for the role of Kakashi Hatake. The Hollywood Reporter emphasizes Melton’s recent Emmy nomination for 'Beef' and his martial arts background, noting his proficiency in taekwondo. TheWrap highlights the broader context of the manga’s global popularity, citing sales figures of over 250 million copies, and includes a quote from Cretton about the honor of bringing the story to live action. Both outlets agree that Lionsgate is simultaneously searching for the three lead actors for Team 7, but TheWrap provides more detail on the manga’s publication history and volume count.

Why it matters

The casting of a high-profile actor like Melton signals a major push to bring a beloved anime property to the big screen for the first time. With Cretton coming off a $2 billion global box office success, the project is positioned as a significant commercial venture. The global casting search for the leads indicates an intent to reach a worldwide audience, potentially setting a new benchmark for live-action anime adaptations in Hollywood.

What to watch

Lionsgate will finalize the casting for the three lead roles of Team 7. Production is expected to begin in February 2027. The outcome of the global casting search will determine the final ensemble for the film, which is set to be the first live-action adaptation of the 'Naruto' manga.