Live-Action Legend of Zelda Movie Reportedly Begins Casting for Link and Zelda, Ages 16–23 Sought for Lead Roles

The highly anticipated live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda now has an official release date. Sony Pictures has announced that the film will hit theaters on May 7, 2027. The news was revealed through Nintendo’s new app, Nintendo Today.

This announcement comes nearly a year and a half after the movie was first confirmed in November 2023. At the time, Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto shared the exciting news on social media, confirming that he would co-produce the film alongside Avi Arad, known for his work on many blockbuster films.

The film will be directed by Wes Ball, the filmmaker behind The Maze Runner trilogy and last year’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Ball is also producing the movie along with Joe Hartwick Jr. under their production company, Oddball Entertainment.

The project is a collaboration between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Nintendo, with Nintendo taking the lead on financing. While details about the story and casting are still under wraps, development is progressing steadily.

Miyamoto has been involved in the film’s development for many years. When announcing the project, he expressed his excitement about working with Arad and emphasized Nintendo’s hands-on role in production. He acknowledged that making a film of this scale takes time but assured fans that it will be worth the wait.

According to notable industry insider Daniel Richtman, who shared updates on his private Patreon account, casting is underway for the two leads (Zelda and Link), with the studio looking for actors between the ages of 16 and 23.

This suggests they are aiming for relatively young actors, likely to portray the characters as teenagers or young adults, potentially to match the age range commonly associated with Link and Zelda in many games (such as Ocarina of Time, Breath of the Wild, or Tears of the Kingdom).

The movie is progressing quickly, with casting expected to wrap up by August. The actors will undergo training before filming kicks off in November. Production is set to run until next April.

The project is being developed as a trilogy, with all major roles locked in for three films over a span of six years. Casting is currently underway for key characters, including Link, Zelda, Ganondorf, Impa, and Zelda’s father.

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