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
After being rumored for a role as Beast in Marvel's upcoming X-Men movie, Charles Melton is now in talks for Kakashi in the upcoming Naruto movie. Directed by Spider-Man: Brand New Day's Daniel Destin Cretton, the film will be the first live-action adaptation of the beloved manga.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Melton is in final negotiations for the role as the search for Team 7 continues. Naruto follows a young ninja called Naruto Uzumaki who has ambitions to lead his ninja village. However, he must grapple with having the spirit of a demon inside him on his journey to greatness.
Kakashi is the elite ninja who acts as a mentor to Naruto and his friends. This would be the first casting confirmed for Cretton's adaptation of creator Masashi Kishimoto's manga, however it has been announced a global casting search is underway for Team 7, the younger main characters of this story.
Best known for his roles in Beef and May December, Melton first came to fame on Riverdale. He was also recently the subject of X-Men casting rumors, with suggestions he was in talks to play Beast in the new movie.
The actor even addressed the news, remaining neutral on the discussions. "It depends on what day or moment you catch me on, but right now I’d say I think I believe in [director Jake Schreier] and [Beef creator and X-Men co-writer Lee Sung Jin] so much, and I would love to work with them again, and many more times. They know that," Melton told The Playlist.
It seems he may be switching Marvel for manga though, if these casting rumors end up being true. For more, check out our guides to new anime as well as our list of all the Naruto filler you can skip.