Hey — listen!
On Wednesday, Nintendo and Sony announced the stars of their upcoming live-action The Legend of Zelda movie. The gaming brand named the silver-screen adaptation’s leads via its Nintendo Today! news app. Nintendo first utilized the app in March 2025 to share the film’s tentative release date.
Despite long-circulating rumors and countless fan casts, the team opted for relatively unknown performers. Actor Benjamin Evan Ainsworth will assume the role of sword-wielding hero Link. Performer Bo Bragason will take on the titular role of Zelda.
English actor Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, 16, got his start in small-screen soap Emmerdale. In 2020, the young actor starred in Netflix’s spooky miniseries The Haunting of Bly Manor. In 2022, Ainsworth lent his voice to the eponymous puppet Pinocchio in Disney’s live-action retelling.
Bo Bragason, 21, first contributed to video game film adaptations in 2016 with her motion-capture performance in Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV. The British actress portrayed Young Luna. Most recently, Bragason worked on BBC One’s historical drama series King and Conqueror. The eight-part project has yet to air; BBC says the show is expected to premiere within the year.
The cast reveal was just that; the announcement offered no additional information regarding the adaptation’s potential plot.
Alongside its in-app reveal, Nintendo announced casting news in a social media post from Japanese game designer, director, producer, and The Legend of Zelda co-creator Shigeru Miyamoto.
“This is Miyamoto,” the post on X (formerly Twitter) reads. “I am pleased to announce that for the live-action film of The Legend of Zelda, Zelda will be played by Bo Bragason-san, and Link by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth-san. I am very much looking forward to seeing both of them on the big screen.” In a follow-up post, Miyamoto says The Legend of Zelda adaptation “is scheduled to be released in theaters on May 7, 2027. Thank you for your patience.”
The adaptation is a joint venture between Nintendo and Sony Pictures Entertainment. Shigeru Miyamoto and former Marvel Entertainment chief creative officer Avi Arad are slated to produce.
Would-be Hylians holding out for more to-the-minute news may want to download Nintendo Today!, as the brand increasingly utilizes the application for headline-worthy announcements. On June 10, Nintendo revealed the very first Splatoon spin-off, Splatoon Raiders, via the app.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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