Naruto Live Action Makes Crucial Casting Update
In a span of only a month since the first casting call, Naruto live-action has officially found its Kakashi Hatake.
On August 20, 2026, it was announced via “The Hollywood Reporter” that Naruto’s live action film by director Destin Daniel Cretton (Spider-Man 4: Brand New Day) finally has a major casting update as Charles Melton is in final negotiations to play the iconic mentor Kakashi Hatake.
Melton has gained acclaim from his roles in Riverdale (2017-2023) as Reggie Mantle and in Beef Season 2 (2026) as personal trainer Austin Davis
The official website for Naruto announced on July 10th a global casting call for the leads Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, with casting for other characters set for another date.
The live-action project has been in the works for more than 10 years.
On July 2015, it had been announced that Lionsgate had closed the rights to adapt the manga into a live-action film, though the original director, Michael Gracey, was replaced by Cretton by February 23, 2024.
There was also confirmation during Jump Festa 2017 that original creator Masashi Kishimoto was involved in the project, further supported by Kishimoto’s presence in live interviews to promote Cretton’s Spider-Man film.
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