The highly anticipated live-action adaptation of Nintendo's legendary Legend of Zelda franchise has sent fans into a frenzy after new behind-the-scenes footage leaked from the New Zealand set this week. The video provides exciting glimpses into character designs and potential casting choices that have sparked intense speculation across gaming communities.
Leaked Footage Reveals Key Character Details
Content creator Tony Olsen shared the unauthorized video online, showing actress Dichen Lachman in full costume that strongly resembles the franchise's guardian figure Impa. The character appears with long grey braids, a fitted tunic, wide leather belt, and carries a naginata-style blade that closely mirrors designs from Hyrule Warriors and Age of Calamity games.
Observers quickly noted that Lachman's appearance matches Impa's established visual profile from the games. This has led many fans on Reddit and other platforms to conclude she is indeed portraying the iconic character, although neither Nintendo nor Sony has officially confirmed her participation in the cast.
Official Casting and Creative Vision
The leak emerged just days after the studios released first official stills showing Bo Bragason as Princess Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link. The official images capture both actors in a wide green field wearing Hylian-inspired costumes complete with the franchise's signature pointed ears.
Director Wes Ball, previously known for the Maze Runner series, is overseeing the project and has described it as a film created by a fan for fans. Nintendo maintains close involvement under the supervision of legendary creator Shigeru Miyamoto, who has stressed that directly copying video-game plot structures will never work as a movie.
This signals that the adaptation will pursue a fresh narrative while drawing visual and thematic elements from various instalments in the series, particularly taking cues from the acclaimed Breath of the Wild.
Production Details and Fan Reactions
The set footage also shows Benjamin Evan Ainsworth wearing a green tunic strongly reminiscent of Link's traditional attire, reinforcing suggestions that the film will blend costume elements from multiple game eras to construct its own unique interpretation.
The casting brings together experienced young talent: 21-year-old Bragason brings experience from BBC One's 'Three Girls', 'The Jetty' and Disney+'s 'Renegade Nell', while 16-year-old Ainsworth previously appeared in 'The Haunting of Bly Manor' and voiced Pinocchio in Robert Zemeckis's live-action version.
Filming continues in New Zealand, with both the leaked clips and official images generating widespread online enthusiasm. Fans are actively debating plot possibilities, character arcs, and design choices for a film expected to deviate from strict game narratives while honoring the spirit of the beloved franchise.
Sony and Nintendo have scheduled the worldwide release of 'Legend of Zelda' for May 7, 2027, while the studio handling the Impa leak maintains a separate date of March 26, 2027 for related project material. No official trailer or story synopsis has been made public yet, keeping fans eagerly awaiting more official announcements.
