Nintendo found mega success at the box office by partnering with Universal/Illumination on their animated Super Mario Bros. Movie but can they produce similar results with Sony Pictures on the upcoming The Legend of Zelda movie?
The collaboaration was first announced all the way back in November 2023 but we now know when cameras will officially start rolling.
Thanks to an official update from the Film & Television Industry Alliance [via Collider], it has been revealed that filming on the upcoming live-action Legend of Zelda movie from Sony and Nintendo, officially kicked off on November 4 in Wellington, New Zealand.
The listing also confirmed that filming is scheduled to wrap on April 7, 2026. The video game adaptation is currently slated for a theatrical release in North America on May 7, 2027.
Wes Ball (The Maze Runner trilogy, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) is set to direct from a script penned by Derek Connolly (Jurassic World, Pokémon Detective Pikachu, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker).
Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (The Haunting of Bly Manor, Pinocchio) is set to play Link while Bo Bragason (Renegade Nell) will portray Princess Zelda.
Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto is on board as a producer.
The update from the Film & Television Alliance also provided a brief plot synopsis, which reads: "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."
On the ambitious project, Ball previously stated, "I've been thinking about it for a long freakin' time. I want to fulfil people's greatest desires. I know it's important, this [Zelda] franchise, to people, and I want it to be a serious movie. A real movie that can give people an escape."
He also previously shared that he envisions the proejct as an "awesome fantasy-adventure movie that isn’t like Lord of the Rings, it’s its own thing. I've always said, I would love to see a live-action Miyazaki. That wonder and whimsy that he brings to things, I would love to see something like that."
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