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| The Legend of Zelda | |
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| Directed by | Wes Ball |
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| Based on | The Legend of Zelda by Nintendo [a] |
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| Edited by | Dan Zimmerman |
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| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Releasing |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Legend of Zelda is an upcoming American fantasy adventure film based on The Legend of Zelda video game series developed and owned by Nintendo. Produced by Columbia Pictures and Nintendo, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, the film is directed by Wes Ball, who serves as a producer alongside Shigeru Miyamoto, Avi Arad, and Joe Hartwick Jr., and written by Derek Connolly and T. S. Nowlin. It stars Bo Bragason and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth. Principal photography began in November 2025, in Wellington, New Zealand, and is expected to wrap in April 2026.
The Legend of Zelda is scheduled to be released worldwide on May 7, 2027.
In 2007, Imagi Animation Studios created a pitch reel for a computer-animated The Legend of Zelda film, but Nintendo did not accept the studio's offer, with reluctance in adapting their games following the critical and commercial failure of the 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros. film. [1] The project's existence was made public in April 2013, when a proof-of-concept teaser trailer surfaced on Vimeo as part of a former Imagi employee's portfolio. [2] In October 2013, series producer Eiji Aonuma stated that, if development of a film began, the company would want to use the opportunity to embrace audience interaction in some capacity. [3] [4] In 2015, The Wall Street Journal reported that a live action television series was in development at Netflix via an anonymous employee from the company; [5] however, this leak purportedly resulted in Nintendo ceasing development. [6]
In June 2023, it was reported that Nintendo was close to closing a deal with Illumination and Universal Pictures to produce a film adaptation of the Zelda franchise following the success of their film The Super Mario Bros. Movie earlier that year. [7] However, Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri denied these reports later that month. [8]
In November 2023, Nintendo announced that they were developing a live-action The Legend of Zelda film, with Sony Pictures co-financing and handling worldwide theatrical distribution. [9] Wes Ball was hired to direct, with Derek Connolly writing the screenplay, and Shigeru Miyamoto and Avi Arad serving as producers alongside Ball and his producing partner Joe Hartwick Jr. through their OddBall Entertainment company. [10] According to Miyamoto, he and Arad had been working on a Zelda film for many years. [11] Following the announcement, fans discovered a tweet by Ball from early 2010 which revealed that he first suggested the idea of a Zelda film, describing it as "the next big mo-cap Avatar -like movie" and saying that he "could never even hope to have the chance to direct it". [12] [13]
In June 2025, it was announced that Connolly had been replaced as screenwriter by T. S. Nowlin, who previously collaborated with Ball on the Maze Runner film series. [14]
Although the casting had not been announced, Patricia Summersett, who previously voiced the incarnation of Princess Zelda introduced in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017) in English, said that she would like to reprise her role for the character. [15] Hunter Schafer has also expressed interest in playing Zelda, in response to online fan castings. [16] In July 2025, it was announced that Bo Bragason and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth had been cast as Zelda and Link respectively. [17]
Principal photography began in November 2025, in Wellington, New Zealand, and is expected to wrap in April 2026. [18] [19]
Dan Zimmerman is editing the film. [20]
The Legend of Zelda is scheduled to be released worldwide on May 7, 2027, by Sony Pictures Releasing. [21] It was originally scheduled to be released on March 26, 2027. [22]
In November 2024, it was revealed in an official financial report from Nintendo that The Legend of Zelda would be released sometime in the latter half of the 2020s, between 2025 and 2029. [23] In March 2025, the film's original release date of March 26, 2027, was announced through the Nintendo Today! mobile app. [22]
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