Nintendo confirmed that the long-awaited live-action film based on the Legend of Zelda will hit theaters on March 26, 2027. The revelation was made through the Nintendo Today! Recently released mobile app, and marks a decisive step from the Japanese company in expanding the brand's audiovisual universe.
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Since November 2023, rumors about production circulated after the company's financial report. However, at the time, Nintendo stated that it was directly investing in visual content and actively participating in the development of film productions. The company's president, Shuntaro Furukawa, said the company was “deeply involved” in the creation of multiple projects, thus reinforcing expectations around an adaptation for the theaters of the Hyrule universe.
Production is directed by Wes Ball and script by Derek Connolly
While Nintendo confidentially keeps the details about the plot and the cast, it has already confirmed part of the creative team behind the scenes. Director Wes Ball, who commanded Planet of the Apes: The Reign, takes over the project direction. The script will be in charge of Derek Connolly, known as Jurassic World: Domain. The production will be the result of a partnership between Nintendo, Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures, which will also take care of the world's world distribution.
Wes Ball has publicly expressed the desire that the film has a visual aesthetics inspired by the works of Studio Ghibli's Hayao Miyazaki. This approach suggests a more poetic and visually rich narrative, which should please both old fans and a new audience who doesn't know Link, Zelda and Ganon yet.
Zelda franchise is one of the most prestigious in games history
Created in 1986, The Legend of Zelda is one of the most influential and award -winning series in the history of video games. Thus, with each new title, the narrative presents different versions of the protagonists Link, a young elf warrior; Zelda, the princess of Hyrule; and Ganon, a villain who represents a constant threat to the kingdom. Games like Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask and Breath of the Wild have marked generations and are still remembered as industry milestones.
Nintendo has not revealed if the movie will adapt any specific version of the franchise or will tell an unprecedented story. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, producers consider the name of actress Hunter Schafer - known for the Euphoria series (2019) - for the role of Princess Zelda. Despite speculation, no one has officially confirmed the lineup so far.
Nintendo bets on cinema after success of Super Mario Bros.
The announcement of Zelda's film premiere reinforces Nintendo's new phase in the cinema. In 2023, Super Mario Bros. The film was the biggest box office of the year and consolidated the success of the transition from the brand to the audiovisual. With a sequence already confirmed for April 2026, the company expands its efforts in this segment, betting on consecrated franchises to win the big screen.
The initiative to transform Hyrule into a cinematic scenario reflects Nintendo's diversification strategy, which now sees cinema as a promising field for strengthening its intellectual properties. It is expected that the feature further reinforces the popularity of the saga and boosts new releases in the game universe.
While fans await more news about the script, cast and approach of the feature, what is already known is that the debut date is scheduled. Until then, the public will be able to follow Nintendo's upcoming ads and speculate which elements of the vast world of Zelda will come to life on the big screen.
