Filming of “The Legend of Zelda” Live-Action Movie Has Now Begun in New Zealand
The Legend of Zelda, a highly anticipated fantasy live-action movie based on a video game of the same name, has recently begun filming its principal photography in Wellington, New Zealand. According to online sources, the crew is expected to conclude principal photography in April 2026.
The movie was first attempted in 2007, but the plan was quickly abandoned due to concerns that it might suffer the same fate as the failed Super Mario Bros. film. A second attempt came in 2015 after being picked up by Netflix, but the movie was later dropped mid-development due to unknown reasons. In 2023, 26 years after its original debut, Nintendo announced the movie is finally coming to the big screens, with the movie now officially in production.
What is “The Legend of Zelda” about?
The Legend of Zelda is a popular video game series designed by Shigeru Miyamoto & Takashi Tezuka, a duo renowned for multiple beloved game series from the 90s. Together, the duo designed multiple legendary game series, most notably the Super Mario Bros platform game, which kick-started the unforgettable Super Mario series.
The first game of the series, The Legend of Zelda, was published by Nintendo in February 1986 in Japan, with 1 million copies sold on release day alone. Following its American release, the game sold 2 million copies by 1988, three million by 1989, and received widespread critical acclaim worldwide.
The first game, The Legend of Zelda, follows an elf-like boy named Link on his adventures in the Kingdom of Hyrule, which is being threatened by the game’s main villain, Ganon, the prince of darkness.
In an attempt to gain more power and rule the world, Ganon decides to steal the Triforce of Power, a sacred relic that gives its holder great physical power and near-invincibility. After successfully stealing the relic, his attention turns to the Triforce of Wisdom, another powerful relic, which grants its holder great intelligence and foresight.
To prevent Ganon from stealing another important relic, Princess Zelda, the heiress of the kingdom of Hyrule, successfully splits the relic into 8 fragments and hides them in secret underground dungeons, shortly before being captured by Ganon himself. Before being captured, however, she commands her nursemaid to find a warrior worthy of locating all the fragments and saving the world from Ganon’s reign.
Link’s mission is simple: find the fragments, rescue the princess, and defeat Ganon.
What we know so far
While the full scope of the movie remains unknown at this moment, several details have already been revealed.
The movie is directed by Wes Ball, best known for his 2022 live-action remake of Disney’s Pinocchio (1940), and produced by Avi Arad and Shigeru Miyamoto.
The current release date is set for May 7th, 2027. However, with the release day already postponed once, you’re better off betting on one of the online casinos New Zealand has to offer than taking the current release day at face value. That being said, should any further delays be announced, we expect the movie to still land by the end of 2027.
The plot follows the story outlined by the first game, with Link, Zelda, and Ganon serving as the main characters. While the actor playing Ganon has not yet been announced, the protagonists for Link and Zelda have been known for a while.
In July of 2025, a Nintendo Japanese post on X revealed the two main protagonists of the movie: Bo Bragason is set to portray Princess Zelda, while Benjamin Evan Ainsworth will play the role of Link. Bragason’s (Princess Zelda) main appearances include the likes of Regengade Nell (2024), The Radleys (2024) and King & Conqueror (2025).
Ainsworth (Link) is best known for his performance in The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020), where he played young Miles Wingrave, a troubled young boy struggling with grief and guilt following the death of his nanny, as well as being possessed by the ghost of Peter Quint, the former valet of Bly Manor. Ainsworth’s performance in the series was highly praised, citing the strong psychological depth of the character that served as one of the biggest pillars of the show.
On November 17, 2025, Nintendo released the first three stills from the movie, giving the audience a small glimpse into the world of The Legend of Zelda.
Fueled by the two cancellations, the anticipation for the movie is as high as ever. Produced by Shigeru Miyamoto, Representative Director and Fellow of Nintendo and Avi Arad, Chairman of Arad Productions Inc., The Legend of Zelda is perfectly positioned to be one of Nintendo’s biggest movie adaptations ever.
