A live-action film adaptation of The Legend of Zelda has been announced, and updates are flooding in regarding Nintendo's cinematic adventure. The video game series first debuted back in 1986 and was developed for the Nintendo Entertainment System by noted creators Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. The Legend of Zelda games typically follow the heroic Link as he battles his way through the land of Hyrule in search of Princess Zelda. While helping to innovate the RPG gaming format, The Legend of Zelda blossomed into a bona fide pop culture franchise.

Across almost two dozen entries, The Legend of Zelda has become one of the most beloved gaming series of all time due in large part to its exciting gameplay and extensive lore. Even when the series was new, Nintendo wasted no time in marketing its latest product, and characters like Link and Zelda appeared in cartoons, comic books, and a myriad of collectibles. Recent video game movies and shows have proven that they are a viable source material to adapt, and the high-fantasy of The Legend of Zelda is the perfect gaming property to hit the big screen next.

The Legend Of Zelda Movie Latest News

The Legend Of Zelda Movie Gets A Release Date

Several months after the video game movie was given a wide release window of sometime before the end of the 2020s, the latest news confirms the release date for The Legend of Zelda. The much-anticipated action/adventure film will be released by Sony, and will premiere on March 26, 2027. The spring release isn't necessarily befitting a blockbuster, but films have found great success outside the summer and winter months. Nintendo's The Super Mario Bros. movie was released in April and went on to become a bona fide moneymaker.

The Legend Of Zelda Movie Release Date

Travel To Hyrule In Early 2027

The release date should be considered flexible for now, and it currently puts The Legend of Zelda in direct competition with the Godzilla x Kong sequel.

Nintendo announced their plans to produce a film based on The Legend of Zelda back in November 2023, and this news came hot on the heels of the box-office-smashing success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Details were (and still are) quite scant regarding the video game adaptation, but Wes Ball (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) has been tapped to helm the film, and Sony has penciled it in for a March 26, 2027 premiere. The release date should be considered flexible for now, and it currently puts The Legend of Zelda in direct competition with the Godzilla x Kong sequel.

No cast are attached yet.

Other Nintendo feature films include:

Legend Of Zelda Director & Production Information

Wes Ball Is Slated To Direct

The live-action Legend of Zelda movie is going to be distributed by Sony, and is being co-produced under the watchful eye of Avi Arad. Arad's biggest claim to fame is serving as producer on every one of Sony's Spider-Man films, including the box-office-shattering Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its sequel. Wes Ball has been tapped to direct, and he is no stranger to blockbuster adaptations after overseeing all three of the Maze Runner films. Ball also helmed the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes which proved to be a hit.

The most recent Legend of Zelda game is The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom which released on September 26, 2024.

Details about the movie's story and characters remain under wraps, but Ball has mentioned a few inspirations which could indicate the direction the live-action adaptation will take. Citing one of Japan's most beloved filmmakers, Ball mentioned he hopes to make a "live-action Miyazaki," invoking the name of the director of such classics as My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away. He did also add that he plans a serious adaptation of The Legend of Zelda, hinting that it won't go the comedic route like The Super Mario Bros. Movie.