It feels like for years we have been saying that, waiting, hoping, praying for an adaptation of The Legend of Zelda. The popular Nintendo franchise, which has been a staple of brand for decades at this point, is cinematic, emotional, action-packed, and full of wonder, making it perfect for the big screen. And now it’s finally happening
When it comes to the long list of upcoming video game adaptations, there are few we’re paying attention to more than the long-overdue Zelda movie. With a little over a year before this hotly anticipated movie lands in theaters (and not just a fan film or April Fool’s Day trick), we’re starting to learn more about everything from its release date to its cast to the major players behind the scenes. That being said, let’s break down everything we know about The Legend of Zelda…
What Is The Legend Of Zelda Release Date?
While 2026 is shaping up to be an all-timer for video game movies, next year is really going to be another golden year, with The Legend of Zelda and its May 7, 2027, release date. The date, which was confirmed by IGN last summer, comes a little more than a month after the original planned release (March 26, 2027), but that’s honestly not as bad a delay compared to other movies, like Mortal Kombat II, for example.
Video game fans will also have the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 4 to look forward to, as well as the Minecraft Movie sequel and Helldivers with Jason Momoa. Basically, we’re going to be eating well the next couple of years when it comes to adaptations like this.
The Legend Of Zelda Cast
After much fan speculation, which included folks calling for Euphoria’s Hunter Schafer playing the titular princess, Nintendo finally announced the first additions to the Legend of Zelda cast back in July 2025. In a post from the official Nintendo X account, company and video game legend Shigeru Miyamoto announced that Bo Bragason (The Jetty, King & Conqueror) would be taking on the role of Princess Zelda, while Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (Everything’s Going to Be Great, Son of a Critch) would be playing Link.
The post even included first-look images of the young and relatively unknown actors, but what it was lacking was the rest of the cast. Months later, we still don’t know who’ll be playing other characters from the game series, including longtime villain, Ganondorf, who’s had a role in making Zelda and Link’s lives (as well as pretty much anyone in Hyrule) miserable for decades now. However, when other cast members are announced, we’ll make sure to keep you all updated.
What Is The Legend Of Zelda About?
No one from Nintendo or Sony has come out and said what the Legend of Zelda movie will be about (or which game or games it will adapt). However, here’s a very brief rundown of the game series so far…
The Legend of Zelda franchise primarily follows Princess Zelda, the ruler of the land of Hyrule, and her loyal protector, the knight and friend Link. In most iterations of the game, Link overcomes the odds and some ferocious monsters to find and kill Ganondorf in order to save Hyrule and Zelda.
However, in many games, the princess has proven herself quite powerful. In fact, in Tears of the Kingdom, it feels as if she’s more of the main focus than Link, even though we never play as Zelda herself.
This series has been going on since 1986. That’s right, it will be over forty years old by the time the movie comes out. There have been various versions of Link and Zelda over the years, but all boil down to the two of them and their connection. And honestly? What a perfect setting for an upcoming video game adaptation, because they could do so much with these two.
When Can We Expect A Legend Of Zelda Trailer?
One question that comes up a lot is: “When will we see The Legend of Zelda trailer?” Nothing has been announced about any type of promo videos for the big movie, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see something from Sony and Nintendo later this year, either through a preview at CinemaCon or through one of the upcoming Nintendo Direct presentations. With production in full swing (more on that later on in our quest), it’s only a matter of time before we see something more substantial than those early first-look images.
Wes Ball Is Directing
Another confirmation is that Wes Ball is directing the live-action film adaptation of The Legend of Zelda. Ball is mainly known for directing the Maze Runner films, as well as the 2024 addition to the expansive Planet of the Apes movie franchise, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
Ball actually spoke about the project in an interview with Total Film Magazine in March 2024, saying that he had a great “idea” for the movie and that he genuinely wants it to be an escape for fans of the game:
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.
Honestly, I have a lot of faith in him, considering he has been pretty consistent with his films, so let’s hope he keeps that trend going with this one.
T.S. Nowlin is writing the film's script. Nowlin previously worked with Ball on the Maze Runner films and wrote the scripts for Pacific Rim Uprising, as well as The Adam Project on Netflix.
Shigeru Miyamoto Is Producing
Another thing that should get fans excited for The Legend of Zelda is the fact that Shigeru Miyamoto is also producing the film. If you don’t know who that is, he’s essentially one of the leaders over at the gaming company. His official title is Game Director, and he serves as a representative of the company. I’m pretty sure I've seen him in every single Nintendo Direct I've watched.
Oh, and he also co-created The Legend of Zelda, so that's no big deal. As well as Mario, Donkey Kong, Pikmin, and Star Fox. The list just keeps going on and on, but basically, we’re dealing with a living legend of video games here.
The fact that he is actively involved as a producer on this film is significant, as it suggests we’ll get a faithful adaptation rather than a cash grab. And for that, I am excited.
Production Started In Late 2025
How To Watch The Legend Of Zelda Animated Series
When The Legend of Zelda comes out next year, it’ll be the first live-action adaptation of the popular game franchise, but it won’t be the first time Hyrule has been adapted for the screen. Though far from being the best Nintendo cartoon by any stretch of the imagination, this short-lived series has a certain charm. There’s a good chance diehard fans have watched this already, but if you’ve never dived into DIC’s version of the series, now’s your opportunity. All episodes are streaming (for free) over on Tubi.
How To Play The Legend Of Zelda Video Games
We still have about a year until The Legend of Zelda hits the big screen, which gives you plenty of time to go back and play the games, either for the first time in a while or the first time entirely. With a few dozen titles having been released over various generations of Nintendo consoles, getting to all of them is a task easier said than done, but you can play a lot of the classics with a Nintendo Switch Online account.
There are classics like the OG Legend of Zelda, A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, and Majora’s Mask available on Switch, though you’ll need the Expansion Pack subscription for the latter two. Switch 2 users can also play Windwaker if they have the Expansion Pack plan. Both consoles also play Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, which are must-plays considering the visual style of the upcoming movie.
With The Super Mario Galaxy Movie seemingly teasing some kind of Super Smash Bros. situation, is there a chance we’ll see more than one version of Zelda and Link on the big screen in the coming years? We can only hope…
