Studying Time: 3 minutes
The Legend of Zelda film’s forged has been revealed, and the titular princess is not going to be performed by Hunter Schafer.
Though she is clearly good for the function.
Nintendo introduced the casting selections for Hyperlink and for Zelda. These selections have prompted fairly a stir.
Who will play two of probably the most iconic online game characters of all time?
Hunter Schafer attends the 2022 Vainness Truthful Oscar Celebration hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Heart for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022. (Picture Credit score: Frazer Harrison/Getty Pictures)
‘The Legend of Zelda’ casting information is right here!
Early within the morning on Wednesday, July 16, Nintendo tweeted a casting announcement for the upcoming The Legend of Zelda movie.
Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto personally wrote:
“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.”
The tweet continued: “I am very much looking forward to seeing both of them on the big screen.”
That is Miyamoto. I’m happy to announce that for the live-action movie of The Legend of Zelda, Zelda will probably be performed by Bo Bragason-san, and Hyperlink by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth-san. I’m very a lot trying ahead to seeing each of them on the large display. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/KA5XW3lwul
— 任天堂株式会社 (@Nintendo) July 16, 2025
A follow-up submit detailed: “The film is scheduled to be released in theaters on May 7, 2027. Thank you for your patience.”
The Legend of Zelda recreation sequence follows, with some deviations, the story of a princess of a divine-blooded dynasty, and Hyperlink, the hero who’s repeatedly reincarnated to save lots of the land of Hyrule from hazard.
There have been quite a few iterations within the Zelda sequence, starting in 1986.
The newest recreation within the sequence got here out lower than one 12 months in the past.
Bo Bragason attends the world premiere of “Renegade Nell” at Everyman Borough Yards on March 26, 2024. (Picture Credit score: Joe Maher/Getty Pictures)
Who’re Bo Bragason and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth?
Bo Bragason is 21 years previous. She has acted on Netflix and on The BBC.
Benjamin Evan Ainsworth is just 16 years previous (he’ll flip 17 late this summer season), and has an understandably quick performing historical past.
Notably, he did seem in The Haunting of Bly Manor on Netflix.
It’s unclear if the pictures of the 2 actors are meant to point out them totally in costume, or merely to showcase them to viewers. Hyperlink is historically (however not all the time) blond, the place Ainsworth clearly is just not.
Benjamin Evan Ainsworth
attends the 2024 Canadian Display screen Awards at CBC Broadcast Centre on Might 31, 2024. (Picture Credit score: Jeremy Chan/Getty Pictures)
That is an surprising casting selection. Which can have been the entire level. Film diversifications don’t are likely to comply with fancasting options, irrespective of how good.
On the one hand, it’s all the time nice to see actors in a online game adaptation who’re unknowns.
These are picks from relative obscurity as an alternative of the standard A-listers. (Hopefully, because of this The Rock or Chris Pratt is not going to play Ganondorf)
The youth of those actors is a two-edged sword for these roles. Partially, it implies that this movie is not going to be nostalgia-bait, which is generally good!
Nevertheless it additionally means that almost all of Zelda and Hyperlink followers gained’t be lusting after the character, though one or each online game characters have been “first crushes” for many individuals.
Bo Bragason has been forged as Zelda within the upcoming live-action ‘THE LEGEND OF ZELDA’ film.
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— Pop Base (@popbase.television) July 16, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Why isn’t Hunter Schafer enjoying Zelda?
Hunter Schafer appears actually good for the function. She can be a particularly proficient actress with a rock-solid resume.
There’s all the time an opportunity that Nintendo, Sony, and others concerned within the manufacturing feared anti-trans backlash. However a extra possible clarification is simply that Schafer is 26.
She’s solely 5 years older than Bragason, however she’s a few full decade older than Ainsworth.
That’s not not possible in a Legend of Zelda story, however it could be an odd on-screen dynamic to see the Hero Out of Time and the titular princess appear to be they could possibly be, like, scholar and instructor.
Followers have combined emotions and robust opinions. Our greatest recommendation is to see how the film works out.
For those who’re thirsty for Hyperlink, there are many grownup cosplayers who will match the invoice. Possibly Bragason and Ainsworth will probably be a greater introduction for brand new, youthful followers.
