Charles Melton in Talks to Play Kakashi in Naruto Film

American actor Charles Melton is in final negotiations to portray the elite ninja mentor Kakashi Hatake in Lionsgate's live-action film adaptation of the popular manga and anime series Naruto. The reported casting, first disclosed by The Hollywood Reporter on August 20, 2026, marks the first major role attached to the long-awaited project, which is being directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. Melton, 35, would step into the role of the masked, silver-haired instructor and leader of the protagonist's team. Kakashi Hatake is a central and widely beloved figure in creator Masashi Kishimoto's original comic, which was serialized in Japan's Weekly Shonen Jump from 1999 to 2014. The story follows young ninja Naruto Uzumaki, who dreams of becoming his village's protector while housing the spirit of a nine-tailed fox. As Melton's character, Kakashi serves as the primary teacher for Naruto and his teammates, a squad known as Team 7. The casting negotiations come shortly after Melton secured an Emmy nomination for his role in the second season of the Netflix series Beef.