The Legend of Zelda Movie Gets New Release Date

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After the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie internationally, Nintendo is continuing its venture into film. In November 2023, they announced a movie based on The Legend of Zelda, partnering with Sony Pictures. This Zelda film will be different from the Mario movies, as it’s planned to be a live-action movie with Benjamin Evan Ainsworth playing Link and Bo Bragason as Zelda.

Like many Zelda projects, the live-action Legend of Zelda movie has seen some changes to its release date. Originally planned for March 26, 2027, it was moved to May 7, 2027. However, as of May 13, 2026, the movie is now scheduled to come out earlier than expected, before the original May 2027 date.

The Legend of Zelda’s Release Date Has Been Moved From May 7, 2027 to Late April

Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of The Legend of Zelda, announced on X that the Zelda movie will now come out on April 30, 2027. The release date was moved up a week from its original May date thanks to the dedication of the film’s production team.

Wes Ball, known for directing the Maze Runner films and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, will direct the upcoming Legend of Zelda movie. The screenplay is a collaboration between Derek Connolly, who co-wrote Pokémon Detective Pikachu, and T.S. Nowlin, also from the Maze Runner series. Ball has stated he envisions the film as a large-scale, motion-capture spectacle similar to Avatar. Filming took place in New Zealand, just like The Lord of the Rings trilogy. With all these elements coming together, the Zelda movie appears to be Nintendo’s most ambitious cinematic project yet, slated for release next May.

Zelda Has a History of Delays

It’s notable that the new release date for The Legend of Zelda movie comes after a long history of delays for the series. While another delay wouldn’t be surprising, the movie actually being moved up is unusual. For example, Ocarina of Time was initially planned for 1997 but ended up launching in 1998. Similarly, Twilight Princess, originally intended for the Nintendo GameCube in 2005, was revamped for the Wii, causing its release to be pushed back to 2006.

Originally planned for 2010, Skyward Sword ended up releasing in 2011, near the end of the Wii’s lifespan. Breath of the Wild faced several delays, moving from a planned 2015 release to a March 2017 launch. Similarly, Tears of the Kingdom was delayed a full year even after development finished, to allow for further polish. The recent move of the Zelda movie’s release date forward by a week suggests Nintendo has strong confidence in their live-action film adaptation.

The Legend of Zelda movie releases in theaters on April 30, 2027.

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2026-05-14 04:41