Charles Melton is in final negotiations to play Kakashi in the live-action Naruto film, which is being directed by Spider-Man: Brand New Day helmer Destin Daniel Cretton for Lionsgate. The film is based on the beloved manga series by Masashi Kishimoto.

Naruto is the story of an ostracised orphan named Naruto Uzumaki with a powerful nine-tailed fox demon sealed within him. He dreams of becoming the Hokage (leader) of his ninja village and, alongside both friends and rivals, he trains hard, fights rogue ninja, and works to save his friend Sasuke from a dark path.

The story was first serialised in Japan’s Weekly Shonen Jump from 2009 to 2014, and was later adapted in a couple of animated series on Cartoon Network and Disney.

While a search is presently underway to find the actor to play Naruto, Melton is said to be playing Kakashi Hatake, the elite ninja mentor.

Melton broke out in the series Riverdale. He later gave a Golden Globe-winning performance in Todd Haynes’ May December opposite Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman, as well as starring in Alex Garland’s Warfare and most recently, Nicolas Winding Refn’s Her Private Hell. He was recently nominated for an Emmy for his turn in Beef.

Fittingly for this upcoming role in Naruto, Charles Melton is also a second-degree black belt in taekwondo and competed in the Junior Olympics.