Charles Melton Reportedly Nears Deal to Play Kakashi in Live-Action Naruto Movie
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Charles Melton is reportedly in final talks to star as Kakashi in the upcoming live action Naruto movie directed by Destin Daniel Cretton.
Live action adaptations of beloved anime franchises usually invite plenty of skepticism from the gaming and streaming community, but the latest casting news for the upcoming Naruto movie is hitting all the right notes. According to reports from The Hollywood Reporter, Charles Melton is currently in the final stages of negotiations to play the iconic masked shinobi Kakashi Hatake. With director Destin Daniel Cretton steering the project, the production is steadily taking shape following his massive success with Spider Man: Brand New Day.
Melton brings genuine geek credentials to the role, having established a reputation as an avid manga and anime fan in past interviews. Beyond his on screen presence in projects like Beef and Riverdale, Melton also holds a second degree black belt in taekwondo. That physical background makes him a surprisingly solid fit for the high action demands of the Leaf Village's most famous copy ninja, especially given fan reactions pointing out that he reportedly passed on an MCU Beast role to pursue this project instead.
While the search for the actor to play Naruto himself is still ongoing through open casting calls for young talent, franchise creator Masashi Kishimoto has expressed absolute amazement at seeing his creation make the jump to Hollywood. For a community that treats anime tie ins and cross media adaptations as core entertainment staples, landing an actor who actually knows and respects the source material is a massive win. We will be keeping a close eye on how the rest of the cast rounds out as production ramps up.
Tags: Anime, Movies, Entertainment, Streaming
Original article: IGN South Africa