Though we still have to wait until 2027 to venture across Hyrule on the big screen in the upcoming Legend of Zelda movie, bits and pieces about the Nintendo adaptation have already started popping up.
We've already seen the first image of The Legend of Zelda featuring its leads Link and Zelda. And with leaks indicating that the film could adapt one of the best Zelda games of all time, we've got every hope that the movie will do right by the beloved video game franchise.
As we all count down the days till the movie's 2027 release, dig into our guide to everything you need to know about The Legend of Zelda, including release date, comments from director Wes Ball, and much more. And when you're done, you can check out our guide to Nintendo's next big-screen adventure, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
The Legend of Zelda movie release date
The Legend of Zelda movie is set to hit theaters worldwide on May 7, 2027.
On March 28 2025, Nintendo revealed the release date on their newly launched mobile app. On June 9 2025, however, creator Shigeru Miyamoto announced via Nintendo that the movie would be pushed to May in order to "make the film as good as it can be."
This means that the film will come out right after the Super Mario Bros. movie sequel is released in 2026.
The good news is that The Legend of Zelda Movie has now begun filming in New Zealand. Cameras started rolling at the start of November 2025, and soon after, Nintendo shared the first look at the movie over on Twitter, stating, "Filming is on track for the film’s release on May 7, 2027. It will take a while until the release, so we would be grateful if you would wait patiently and look forward to it."
Looking further afield, a recent deal between Sony Pictures and Netflix ensures The Legend of Zelda movie will be streaming on the platform from early 2029.
The Legend of Zelda movie cast – who will play Link and Zelda?
Nintendo announced the main cast for the The Legend of Zelda movie in July 2025.
Benjamin Evan Ainsworth will portray Link in the upcoming adaptation. The 16-year-old is best known for portraying Miles in The Haunting of Bly Manor, and voicing the titular character in Disney's live-action remake of Pinocchio.
Bo Bragason is set to play Princess Zelda in the movie. We've seen the actress before in movies like The Radleys and shows like The Jetty and Disney Plus' Renegade Nell.
Nintendo released the first look at the pair as the warrior and the princess over on Twitter after a leaked clip from set surfaced on Instagram.
The full cast so far looks like this:
- Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link
- Bro Bragason as Zelda
There is no more casting news announced at this point. We'll keep you posted as soon as it is.
The Legend of Zelda movie plot speculation – what game will it adapt?
One of the biggest questions hanging over The Legend of Zelda movie is about what game it might adapt and what story it might focus on. Not many details have been released by Nintendo on this one yet, but it seems pretty safe to assume it will feature main characters Zelda and Link stopping an emerging evil.
There have been recent reports that filming has begun on The Legend of Zelda movie in New Zealand, which have filled us in on a story snapshot.
The Film and Television Industry Alliance production listing (H/T IGN) even features a synopsis, which reads: "The Legend of Zelda follows Link, a young warrior destined to protect the magical kingdom of Hyrule from the forces of darkness. The land is under threat from Ganon, a ruthless warlord who seeks the Triforce – an ancient relic said to grant limitless power. To stop him, Link must embark on a perilous journey, battling monstrous creatures, exploring treacherous dungeons, and solving intricate puzzles to uncover sacred artifacts that can aid him in his quest."
While they've been adapted into plenty of different stories, some basics of the character remain the same across variations. Link is a member of the elf-like Hylian race and is often portrayed as a brave young man going on a journey to save the land of Hyrule. He's usually joined by Princess Zelda, whose bloodline is linked to the goddess Hylia. The major antagonist is predominantly Ganon, an evil warlord turned demon king who has nefarious plans to take over the world, often using a sacred relic called the Triforce.
Beyond that, all we have to go off are some early teases from director Wes Ball. Speaking to Total Film back in 2024, Ball teased: "I have this awesome idea. I’ve been thinking about it for a long freakin’ time, of how cool a Zelda movie would be... I want to fulfill people’s greatest desires. I know it’s important, this [Zelda] franchise, to people and I want it to be a serious movie. A real movie that can give people an escape." He then added: "That’s the thing I want to try to create – it’s got to feel like something real. Something serious and cool, but fun and whimsical."
He also previously shared some rules he's bringing to the adaptation too. "Keep the money on the screen," Ball said of the things he's bringing from Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes to the new film. "Be ambitious. Be confident in the talent around you. Try to do something great."
Elsewhere, Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida simply teased that it will be "an amazing tale of adventure and discovery". While these are all exciting teases, they haven't revealed anything yet about what the story will be.
There are obviously plenty of sources that the movie could pull from. One of the most beloved takes on the story is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which won over fans with its epic open-world adventure. Costume leaks from set even back that up, with Zelda actor Bo Bragason wearing a blue outfit that will be familiar to fans of the 2017 classic.
However, one of our writers is hoping that the movie leans more towards 1998’s Ocarina of Time to create a more grounded version of the story. It seems only time will tell what the movie will cover.
Although it doesn't really help us in terms of the plotline, Nintendo has released the first look at the movie, showing stars Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Bro Bragason suited and booted as Link and Zelda. And we have to say, it looks pretty game-accurate.
Is there a The Legend of Zelda movie trailer?
Although filming has begun, there is no The Legend of Zelda movie trailer or teaser just yet. We likely won't see any footage of the movie until much closer to its release date. Generally, films release their trailers a few months before they hit theaters, but sometimes with big releases they can arrive a bit earlier than that. We might get something of a teaser in 2026, and a rollout of proper trailers in 2027.
The Legend of Zelda movie releases worldwide on May 7, 2027. In the meantime, check out our guide to the best Switch 2 games to play right now.
