Info in Movie News | Nintendo has finally confirmed the two leads for its long-awaited live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda, and the internet is buzzing with reactions. Benjamin Evan Ainsworth will play the green-clad hero Link, while Bo Bragason steps into the role of the wise and brave Princess Zelda. The casting comes as a major development in what promises to be one of the most anticipated video game movies ever made.
According to USA Today, the announcement was made through Nintendo’s social channels with a personal message from legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. “This is Miyamoto,” he wrote. “I am pleased to announce that for the live-action movie of The Legend of Zelda, Zelda will be played by Bo Bragason, and Link by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth. I am very much looking forward to seeing both of them on the big screen.”
Last year, after his breakthrough role as Miles Wingrave in The Haunting of Bly Manor, Ainsworth's career shot to the stars. In addition to that, he gave the voice to Pinocchio, the main character of Disney's 2022 movie, and he also co-starred with Tom Hanks. Bragason, 21, has also been in the Disney+ fantasy adventure show Renegade Nell and the British drama The Jetty. Although these actors are not very popular at the moment, they have already generated some interest, as the fans are wondering what new vibes the actors will give to these old characters.
The Zelda games have been around for decades and they have though all been about the core of Link’s adventures in the kingdom of Hyrule. Usually, he saves Princess Zelda and stops the evil Ganon from wreaking havoc in the world. Although Link is the player's character, Zelda's character has been given more and more backstory and importance in the course of the modern games especially in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
This is going to be the second big theatrical release movie of Nintendo, after The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which made $1.3 billion haul worldwide and became the highest-grossing movie for the year 2023 second only. Unlike that movie’s animated approach, The Legend of Zelda will be entirely live-action. The project is in the hands of Wes Ball, who is also the director of The Maze Runner trilogy and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024).
Ball has openly expressed his enthusiasm for the Zelda series several times, and one of the instances was in 2010 when he tweeted it as a perfect epic movie. In an interview in May 2024, he mentioned that the movie wouldn’t be as mo-cap-intensive as Avatar, but it would be “grounded and real” and thus a serious, mystical, and yet an easily understandable tone he was going for.
The screenplay is being written by Derek Connolly (Jurassic World), while Miyamoto and former Marvel Studios head Avi Arad are producing. Sony Pictures will handle distribution, and co-finance the project with Nintendo.
The movie that was first scheduled to be released in March 2027, has now been rescheduled to May 7, 2027, thus it can 'breathe' better without major spring blockbusters such as Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and Godzilla x Kong: Supernova.
Details about the story are very secretive, however, initial advertising pictures reveal both child actors wearing costumes that suggest Breath of the Wild-inspired creations, Zelda in blue, and Link in a darker green tunic. Although the release is still two years away, Nintendo enthusiasts at last have a face to their favorite heroes.
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