Charles Melton in Talks to Play Kakashi in Lionsgate's Live-Action Naruto
Charles Melton is in talks to play the villain Kakashi Hatake in Destin Daniel Cretton's live-action Naruto movie at Lionsgate, Variety reported on 20 August 2026.
Kakashi is one of the most recognisable characters from Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto, a manga and anime franchise that has sold hundreds of millions of copies worldwide since its debut in 1999. In the original story, Kakashi is a prodigy ninja and mentor to the young hero — not a straightforward villain. How the film adaptation reframes him for the screen remains to be seen; the report specifies only that Melton would play the film's antagonist.
Melton earned an Emmy nomination for his performance in the Netflix series Beef, which marked his transition from teen-drama lead (CW's Riverdale) to serious awards contender. The Naruto role would place him in a large-scale studio production for the first time.
Destin Daniel Cretton will direct and co-write the film. Lionsgate chair Adam Fogelson announced Cretton's attachment in February 2024, confirming the project on the franchise's official site. Cretton's most recent credit is the box-office hit Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which gives Lionsgate a director with proven experience handling a major IP — intellectual property, the underlying rights a studio licenses or owns to build a franchise.
Live-action anime adaptations have had a turbulent history in Hollywood. Netflix's Death Note (2017) drew sharp criticism from fans, while Ghost in the Shell (2017), starring Scarlett Johansson, underperformed commercially and sparked controversy over its casting. More recently, Netflix's One Piece series (2023) fared better with audiences by working closely with the original manga creator, Eiichiro Oda, who held a producer credit. The Naruto production has not yet confirmed Kishimoto's level of involvement.
Lionsgate has not publicly commented on Melton's potential casting. Variety contacted the studio for comment; no response has been reported. Until a deal closes, Melton's attachment remains in the negotiation stage.
No production start date, release window, or additional cast members have been announced. The film's budget has not been disclosed.
For fans of the franchise, the Kakashi question cuts two ways: the character's popularity makes him a natural draw for a film audience, but his original role as a beloved mentor means any shift to villainy will be scrutinised closely. Melton's rising profile and Cretton's blockbuster credentials suggest Lionsgate is investing serious resources in the adaptation — though whether that investment translates into a film that satisfies one of anime's most devoted fanbases is a question the box office will eventually answer.
