Charles Melton just locked down one franchise, but a new report says the other one isn’t dead yet. A fresh scoop suggests the actor’s X-Men Beast talks may still be alive despite his Naruto casting.
Charles Melton’s Beast casting could still happen
Charles Melton may not be out of the Beast race after all. Scooper MyTimeToShineHello posted a new X-Men scoop on X today. The post’s full contents sit behind a subscriber paywall. However, the key claim is clear: “Charles Melton is still in talks for Beast.”
This contradicts the recent narrative around the actor’s Marvel status. The Hollywood Reporter recently revealed Melton entered final negotiations for Kakashi Hatake. He will play the elite shinobi in Lionsgate’s live-action Naruto movie. Director Destin Daniel Cretton helms the project through his Hisako banner. Production eyes a start around February 2027 for the long-developing adaptation.
Melton’s name had circulated for Hank McCoy in Marvel’s X-Men reboot for months. Reports before D23 claimed he had exited the role entirely. Marvel then revealed seven cast members on the D23 stage without Melton. The studio announced Sadie Sink, Kit Connor, Christopher Abbott, and others instead. Beast was notably absent from that lineup altogether.
Kevin Feige confirmed on stage that more casting announcements are still coming. The reboot targets cameras next year ahead of a May 5, 2028 release. Peter Claffey’s name has also circulated for Beast since the spring. Jeff Sneider of The InSneider first floated Claffey for Hank McCoy earlier this year.
Melton recently earned an Emmy nomination for Beef Season 2 opposite Oscar Isaac. He also broke out in Todd Haynes’ May December and appeared in Warfare. Naruto production reportedly eyes a February 2027 start date for filming. Spider-Man: Brand New Day waits on Cretton’s Naruto schedule either way. Both projects could potentially coexist on Melton’s slate if Marvel finalizes a deal.
The Beast seat in the X-Men reboot remains officially open for now.
Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on SuperHeroHype.
