The Legend of Zelda Movie Set Leak Appears to Show First Live-Action Footage of Link and Zelda

Set videos purportedly featuring Link and Zelda in Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda movie have been shared online — giving fans a first glimpse at the characters in action.

As previously reported, The Legend of Zelda has now begun shooting in New Zealand, and several fans have seemingly discovered exactly where. Videos posted to social media over the weekend appear to show a scene filmed in a woodland location where both Bo Bragason (Zelda) and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (Link) can be spotted.

And that’s not all — a third character can also be seen, who fans have widely surmised is Impa. Here, Zelda’s trusty aide looks to be played by none other than Severance’s Dichen Lachman.

https://twitter.com/SlLENTPRINCESS/status/1989540245579157945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Nintendo is yet to officially confirm Lachman’s casting, though apart from it looking very much like the actress, fans have noted that she previously worked with the project’s director, Wes Ball, on Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

Zelda is dressed in blue robes, akin to those seen in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Link, meanwhile, wears his classic green garb, as seen in Ocarina of Time. The colorings fit with pre-production photos released alongside Bragason and Ainsworth’s initial casting announcement.

It’s hard to make out what’s happening in the scene itself, as it’s filmed at some distance. However, Impa appears to be handing Zelda a sword in a forest clearing as the pair are surrounded by knights and horses. Could one of them be Epona? As for what this moment might be based on, no direct comparison to the games comes to mind.

Officially announced in November 2023, Nintendo’s live-action The Legend of Zelda project is being produced by the company’s legendary creative boss Shigeru Miyamoto, alongside Avi Arad, former CEO of Marvel Studios. Jurassic World’s Derek Connolly has written the screenplay.

Details of the project remain largely under-wraps, other than a rather generic-sounding basic plot outline which describes the film thus:

“The Legend of Zelda follows Link, a young warrior destined to protect the magical kingdom of Hyrule from the forces of darkness. The land is under threat from Ganon, a ruthless warlord who seeks the Triforce — an ancient relic said to grant limitless power. To stop him, Link must embark on a perilous journey, battling monstrous creatures, exploring treacherous dungeons, and solving intricate puzzles to uncover sacred artifacts that can aid him in his quest.”

The Legend of Zelda is currently set to launch on May 7, 2027, a date shared again by Nintendo this month as it teased plans for a “consistent release cadence” of video game movies over the next few years, following the box office success of its Super Mario Movie.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social