THE LEGEND OF ZELDA Movie Officially Begins Filming in New Zealand, and We Have Story Details
The long-awaited live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda has officially started filming, and it’s taking place in a location that’s already famous for bringing fantasy worlds to life… New Zealand.
The country that gave us Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings is now transforming into Hyrule, which feels like a perfect fit for the epic scale this story deserves.
According to a new listing from the Film and Television Industry Alliance (via IGN), cameras are officially rolling on the project. Up to this point, all we’ve known is that Wes Ball (director of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) is at the helm, with Benjamin Evan Ainsworth stepping into the role of Link and Bo Bragason playing Princess Zelda.
Now, we’ve finally got a brief synopsis teasing what this mysterious adaptation will focus on:
“The Legend of Zelda follows Link, a young warrior destined to protect the magical kingdom of Hyrule from the forces of darkness. The land is under threat from Ganon, a ruthless warlord who seeks the Triforce – an ancient relic said to grant limitless power.
“To stop him, Link must embark on a perilous journey, battling monstrous creatures, exploring treacherous dungeons, and solving intricate puzzles to uncover sacred artifacts that can aid him in his quest.”
That’s definitely a classic Zelda setup, the kind that feels ripped right out of Ocarina of Time or A Link to the Past. One thing we don’t know is if this synopsis is Nintendo-approved plot or simply a placeholder description.
Still, if this summary holds true, it sounds like the movie will lean into the traditional hero’s journey side of the franchise rather than the open-world exploration seen in Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom.
The movie is set to be released on May 7, 2027. According to Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator and producer of The Legend of Zelda, the creative team wants to make sure the film lives up to expectations, saying they want to make the live-action adaptation “as good as it can be.”
I’m excited to see how this turns out!