The Legend of Zelda movie is finally on its way! Casting announcements are starting to roll in for the film, so it’s time to review everything we know so far – and what the speculations are! Mega-fans will be thrilled to learn these Legend of Zelda movie facts, but even if you’re new to the series, there’s something here for you!

If you just can’t wait for the film and need more Zelda, we’ve got plenty of quizzes waiting for you! See how much you know about Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom – or find out which character you’re most like!

1. It’s coming out in 2027

You’ll have to wait a couple of years before you see the new film – it’s not due in cinemas until 2027! It was originally scheduled for a March release in that year, but it’s been moved back to May. Its current release date of the 27th of May was also supposed to be the release date of Avengers: Secret Wars, but that’s been moved to December. Just as well – the box office competition would be fierce!

2. It’s based on a game series

Well, you probably already know this one – it’s one of the most famous game series of all time, after all! The series made its debut in 1986 with The Legend of Zelda from video game giant Nintendo. The series stars the adventurer Link and Princess Zelda adventuring in the kingdom of Hyrule. There are 29 games in the main series so far, including remakes, but not including cancelled games and spin-offs – so if you’ve never played the series, you’ve got a lot to look forward to!

3. It’s live-action

It makes total sense that film studios would want to adapt such a popular game, and a live-action Legend of Zelda remake has been in the works for a long time! Live-action adaptations of games have been popular for a while, but many earlier adaptations haven’t done so well at the box office. Nintendo were reluctant to endorse a live-action film at first, because the 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros. didn’t do every well. However, the massive success of HBO’s series The Last of Us proves that there is an audience for it outside of gamers!

4. It’s due for a theatrical release!

There was speculation that the film would debut on a streaming platform like Netflix, which disappointed fans because they wanted to see it on the big screen. Don’t worry – it’s due to come to cinemas, so you will be able to experience Hyrule larger than life!

5. There was a lot of speculation around casting

When the film was announced the question on everyone’s lips was: who will play Link and Zelda? Fans speculated over the casting for a long time, with several actors emerging as fan favourites. Hunter Schafer, whom you might have seen in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes as Tigris, was rumoured to be in the running for Princess Zelda. She expressed an interest in the role, and said she was a fan of the games, too! Anya Taylor Joy was another favourite, which would be interesting, as she’d already played Princess Peach in The Super Mario Bros. Movie! The Link speculation included Tom Holland, Jacob Tremblay, and Jacob Elordi. While none of these actors were cast (read on for more info!) Ganon has yet to be announced as of July 2025, and fans are still debating who will play the villain.

6. It might have been an animated film

Video games can work quite well when they’re adapted to animated features for obvious reasons – you don’t have to change the character designs, for one! The Legend of Zelda was originally intended as an animated film. In 2007 an animation studio submitted a pitch-reel for a CGI Legend of Zelda film, but Nintendo turned it down. After the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie in 2023 it was rumoured that Universal and animation studio Illumination (who also made Despicable Me, The Secret Lives of Pets and Sing) would produce the Zelda film – though it appears this is just a rumour.

7. Wes Ball is attached to direct

American director Wes Ball is attached to The Legend of Zelda as director and producer. You’ve seen his work before if you’re a fan of The Maze Runner trilogy – he directed all three films! He also directed Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and is attached to another upcoming video game adaptation, a cyberpunk game called Ruiner.

8. Bo Bragason will play Princess Zelda

English actress Bo Bragason has been announced as Princess Zelda! Bo is best known for her role in Disney+ series Renegade Nell, where she plays the main character’s younger sister. She’s also no stranger to video game movies – she performed motion capture for the role of Young Luna in the 2016 film Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV!

9. Benjamin Evan Ainsworth will play Link

Link will be played by English actor Benjamin Evan Ainsworth. Benjamin was born in 2008, and he hails from East Yorkshire! He made his TV debut in Emmerdale and is best known for the Netflix horror series The Haunting of Bly Manor. He also voiced Pinocchio in Disney’s 2022 live-action adaptation!

10. Miyamoto approves the casting!

Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto is a legend in the industry. He’s resposible for creating some of the biggest franchises of all time, including Mario, Donkey Kong, Pikmin – and of course, Zelda! It’s important to get his stamp of approval on the film, and they have it – in fact, he made the casting announcement! His statement said that he was very much looking forward to seeing them on the big screen.

11. No one knows which game it will adapt yet

Details of the plot are still under wraps, but fans are already speculating! Breath of the Wild is a fan-favourite for the story, with its sweeping and epic open world. However, other fans have identified The Ocarina Of Time, because that story is a bit more grounded. The film might even be a totally original story – we’ll just have to wait and see!

12. It’s not the first adaptation of the games

The 2027 film will be the first feature length adaptation of the games – but it’s not the first adaptation ever! A 13-episode animated series aired in 1989. These were short cartoons and not full episodes, and they were loosely based on the original Legend of Zelda and The Legend of Link. A live-action series was also in the works with Netflix, but it never happened.

13. It hasn’t started filming yet

Fans have their ears to the ground waiting for news about the film – and of yet, it hasn’t started filming! The Legend of Zelda movie is in pre-production, which is the part of filmmaking before principal photography (aka filming) begins, where casting is completed, the script is finalised, and all the logistics of production are worked out.

14. It will be “serious but whimsical”

Director Wes Ball hasn’t given away much about the plot of the film, but he has talked about what he wants to bring to the franchise! He knows how important the series is to fans, and says he wants to create something “serious and cool, but fun and whimsical”!

15. Could there be a theme park in the future?

Here’s the latest fan speculation – this year, Universal Studios opened Super Nintendo World in their theme parks in Hollywood, Orlando and Japan. The area is themed after the Super Mario series, but theme park fans are already HEAVILY speculating that Zelda might be coming to the land in the future! The Orlando location in the new Epic Universe park features a Nintendo store with a large Zelda section, and Universal has expanded their lands before… with a new theme park coming to the UK, and the film coming out soon, who knows what might happen!