Bo Bragason and Benjamin Evan set to feature in the Legend of Zelda live-action movie

Nintendo has officially announced the lead stars of its much-anticipated live-action film adaptation of The Legend of Zelda. On July 16, 2025, in a social media post on platform X, Nintendo’s creative designer Shigeru Miyamoto revealed that Bo Bragason and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth have been cast as Princess Zelda and Link, respectively, in the upcoming live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda.

The announcement was accompanied by what appear to be first-look photos of the actors in costume, sparking excitement across the gaming and film communities. Miyamoto wrote on Nintendo’s official X account

''This is Miyamoto. 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.''

The movie is being jointly produced by Nintendo and Sony Pictures, with a theatrical release on May 7, 2027. Wes Ball, known for directing The Maze Runner series and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, will helm the project. The project is being produced by Miyamoto himself, alongside the veteran producer Avi Arad.

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About The Legend of Zelda

The Legend of Zelda was first launched in 1986, created by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Over the decades, it has become one of Nintendo’s most influential franchises. The action-adventure series centers around the ongoing battle between good and evil in the mystical land of Hyrule, with Link, a courageous, elf-like warrior, rising time and again to protect Princess Zelda and their world from the dark lord Ganon.

While the franchise has seen numerous video game installments and even a short-lived animated series in 1989, this marks the first live-action film adaptation of the video game.

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About Bo Bragason and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth

Bo Bragason as Princess Zelda

Bo Bragason is a British television actress with experience in both television and film. She earned recognition for her role in BBC One’s Three Girls, followed by appearances in The Jetty and Disney+’s fantasy series Renegade Nell. In 2023, she starred in The Radleys, a vampire comedy. Bragason will portray the lead role of Zelda in the upcoming adaptation of The Legend of Zelda.

Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link

Benjamin Evan Ainsworth has voiced the titular character in Disney’s 2022 live-action remake of Pinocchio and appeared as the complex Miles in The Haunting of Bly Manor. His additional credits include Flora & Ulysses, The Sandman, and Son of a Critch. Though Link is famously silent in the games, Ainsworth will portray the lead role of Link in the upcoming adaptation of The Legend of Zelda.

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What to expect from The Legend of Zelda?

The film is set to follow the familiar core story of Link and Zelda protecting the kingdom of Hyrule from Ganon, a powerful warlord turned demon king. While exact plot details remain under wraps, the adaptation is expected to honor the source material while offering new layers of storytelling.

In a March 2024 interview with Total Film, director Wes Ball described the film’s tone as a blend that aims to capture the emotional weight of the franchise while preserving its sense of wonder and fantasy.

''That’s the thing I want to try to create – it’s got to feel like something real. Something serious and cool, but fun and whimsical.''

While challenges remain in adapting a video game series, with a timeless story rooted in courage, destiny, and the fight between light and darkness, Hyrule’s live-action debut will deliver a video game to the big screen.

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Also read: 7 action comedies to watch if you liked ‘Almost Cops’.

Edited by Ankur Pandey