Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Beau Bragason
After months of rumours and casting fan wish lists, Nintendo and Sony officially named the set that wields Master Sword and Rule Hyrule.
Future live action adaptations of The Legend of Zelda found Link and Zelda with rising talents Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Beau Bragason.
This announcement came courtesy of Nintendo legend Miyamoto Shigeru. “This is Miyamoto,” he wrote via his official Nintendo account. “We are pleased to announce that in the Legend of Zelda live-action film, Zelda will be performed by Bora Bragason Sun and that Benjamin Evan Ainsworth Sun will be linking. We are very excited to see both of them meet on the big screen.”
The message was accompanied by a photo (above) showing a pair of things that looked like early costumes. Bragason in a blue gown reminiscent of the wild Zelda breath, and Ainsworth wearing the familiar green tunic from the forest.
Newcomers lead
Neither name sounds like a Triforce chime, but both actors bring prominent experience to the table. Bo Bragason, seen in Renegade Nell and Censor, also plays a role in the Radleys and upcoming Prime Video Ya series Sterling Points. Meanwhile, Ainsworth is probably best known for playing miles on Netflix’s The Haunting of Bly Manor and vocalizing the title character in Disney’s Pinocchio remake.
The casting ends months of speculation that saw fan campaigns and social media debates about who should take on the iconic role. Euphoria star Hunter Schafer was a popular fan choice for Zelda, but black phones and live action are reportedly caught up in the link fight how to train your Dragon Star actor Mason Thames.
Director Wes Ball on the set of “The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” | 20th Century Studio
What we know about previous films
The story details are strictly locked up in Hyrule Castle, but several important names behind the camera have been confirmed for a long time. The film is directed by Wes Ball (The Planet of the Apes, the Maze Runner Trilogy), featuring Miyamoto and former Marvel Studios Head Avi Arad as producers. The latest script draft was written by TS Nowlin (The Maze Runner).
Speaking earlier about the project, Ball shared his vision for the film’s tone and feel, revealing that he is far beyond the typical game-to-film adaptation. “I’ve been thinking about it for a long time about how cool Zelda movies are,” Ball told Total Film in an interview released in March 2024.
Ball emphasized his emphasis on his desire to create a global audience. “I want to live in that world,” he said. As for the tone of the film, “It’s something I want to try to create. It has to feel like something real. Serious and cool, but fun and whimsical.”
This approach shows a departure from the recent planetary Mo-Cap-heavy aesthetic of Ball’s recent ape entries, and the director instead favors a world of terrestrial fantasy that can stand on its own as a cinematic universe if everything goes to plan.
The US release is set for May 7, 2027. This is the date against the big-hit spring season. However, they avoided the former weekend that included Avengers: Secret Wars, which was pushed that December.
With two relatively fresh faces and one of the game’s most beloved franchises in high stakes, everything becomes all eyes on how this is shaped. And yes – rumors about Ganon’s casting begin now.
Legendary heritage
The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo’s most iconic and influential franchises, along with Super Mario and Pokemon. The game series, first released in 1986, was created by Miyamoto Kiyoshi and Tegami Takahashi, and subsequently produced over 20 core entries, countless spinoffs, and several late-night fan theories.
The game follows the various incarnations of Link, a brave elf-eared warrior, and the royal Princess Zelda, a descendant of Goddess Hylia. Their repeating quest? To save the fantastic land of Haruru from Ganon, the King of the Devil turned to Trifors and turned into a power-hungry warlord – the sacred relic, said to give ultimate power, is said to be only for those whose mind balances strength, wisdom and courage.
Ganon tends to be a central threat to the series, but not all Zelda games stick to the same formula. Some installments send out links trapped in distant lands, alternative timelines, or dreams. And while the characters may shift slightly from the game to the game, Link’s green tunic and rocking heroism that shook the sword remains constant.
The franchise sells over 150 million units worldwide and is regularly featured on the “Best Games of All Time” list. They also see life beyond consoles, including the 1989 animated television series and decades of manga adaptations. For many, Zelda is not just a game, but a foundation of gaming history. Now it’s heading towards the big screen.
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