By: Davyn Horton
First announced via their Nintendo Today app, Nintendo has revealed who will play the live-action versions of Link and Zelda for the live-action The Legend of Zelda film. Coming May 7, 2027, it is a film that fans of the games will flock to go see in the theaters when the day comes. All in all, this is news many have waited for, and now it is here, for all to see.
The Legend of Zelda Film Has Its Link and Zelda
In a brief statement posted to Nintendo Japan’s official X account, Nintendo Executive Fellow and Representative Director Shigeru Miyamoto stated:
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 film is scheduled to be released in theaters on May 7, 2027. Thank you for your patience.
Both Ainsworth and Bragason are newer to acting. Ainsworth, who is 16 years of age, most recently star as Lester Smart in the film Everything’s Going To Be Great, as well as Willy in the series Maya the Bee. In addition, fans may recgonize his voice from the 2022 Disney live-action remake of Pinocchio, where he voices the title character. For Bragason, her most recent acting ventures include the 2024 film The Radleys, where she plays Clara Radley, and the 2024 series The Jetty, where she plays Amy Knightly.
All in all, the news will come as a surprise to many fans. There had been a push in online communities for actors like Tom Holland to play Link, and Hunter Schafer as Zelda. However, newer actors being given a major platform to launch their careers into stardom will be welcomed by others. At the end of the day, Sony and Nintendo working together to create this film means greatness can be born, and this decision being the chance to spark a franchise, that will last for a long time to come.
Link and Zelda Chosen At Last
In conclusion, the casting of Bo Bragason and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth in the lead roles of the live-action The Legend of Zelda film are wild cards. This is due to the inexperience in acting that they both share. However, inexperience doesn’t equal talent. When the film debuts May 7, 2027, we will see if the faith Nintendo and Sony put in these two is ultimately warranted, or if the film will flop altogether, as has sadly been the case for video game adapation projects in the past.