Charles Melton has been on a successful run lately; the Riverdale star earned rave reviews for his role in May December, and he’s now up for two Emmy for the second season of Netflix‘s Beef, which he both starred in and produced. Recent rumors, possibly scurrilous, linked him to the new MCU X-Men movie, but they ultimately proved untrue, at least for the time being. However, now he’s in talks to join forces with the director of the MCU‘s latest blockbuster.

After blowing away the 2026 box office with Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Destin Daniel Cretton‘s next project will be a comics adaptation of a different stripe. He’s set to bring the long-running manga and anime series Naruto to the big screen. And now, it seems as if the project is beginning to take shape, with Melton in negotiations to become the first cast member headed to The Village Hidden in the Leaves in the Land of Fire — believe it!

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Melton is in talks to play Kakashi Hatake in the film. Naruto, which was first published in 1999 and ran until 2014, was created by Masashi Kishimoto. It tells the tale of Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja who seeks glory and fame, and wishes to eventually become the leader of his village; however, he also houses the immortal spirit of a demonic nine-tailed fox. Hatake is the eccentric but skilled ninja mentor to Naruto and his allies; initially cold and unfeeling, he eventually warms up to his charges. A search is reportedly on for the young actor who will play the title character of the film, which will be released by Lionsgate.

What Else Has Charles Melton Starred in Lately?

Last year, Melton was part of the ensemble cast of the Iraq War film Warfare. He can currently be seen in Her Private Hell, opposite Sophie Thatcher; the dystopian film is Nicholas Winding Refn‘s belated return to film-making. Ironically, much like Naruto, the plot involves the mythical fox spirits known as the kitsune. Next up, he is slated to star in Saturn Return, a decade-spanning romance starring Rachel Brosnahan and Will Poulter; it is set to hit Netflix next year.

Destin Daniel Cretton‘s Naruto movie is in development; no release date has yet been announced.

via Collider