Latest news with #liveactionfilm
CTV News
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Bo Bragason and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth cast as leads in ‘Legend of Zelda' live-action movie
Benjamin Evan Ainsworth arrives at the world premiere of "Pinocchio" on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) Nintendo has confirmed that Bo Bragason and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth will play the lead characters in an upcoming live-action film based on the smash hit video game series 'The Legend of Zelda.' In a post on Nintendo's official X account, video game designer and film producer Shigeru Miyamoto said he was 'pleased to announce' that Bragason would play Zelda and Ainsworth would play Link. 'I am very much looking forward to seeing both of them on the big screen,' the post reads. 'The film is scheduled to be released in theatres on May 7, 2027. Thank you for your patience,' a follow-up post adds. English actress Bragason, 25, is best known for appearing in Disney+ series 'Renegade Nell' and BBC series 'Three Girls' and 'The Jetty.' Ainsworth, 16, is also English. He has appeared in TV series such as Netflix's 'The Haunting of Bly Manor' and the film 'Flora & Ulysses.' The classic 'Zelda' video game, first released by Nintendo in 1986, follows hero Link, who must defeat a pig-like monster named Ganon along his journey to rescue Zelda, the Princess of Hyrule, according to an official synopsis. The original game has been followed by at least 20 newer versions over almost four decades, the most recent being 'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,' which was released last year. Miyamoto will co-produce the film along with Avi Arad, chairman of Arad Productions Inc., according to a statement from Nintendo announcing the project in November 2023. Arad is a veteran film producer who has worked on many successful comic book movie franchises, including the various 'Spider-Man' films, as well as the 'Iron Man' and 'X-Men' movies. Wes Ball, best known for his work on 2024 movie 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,' will direct the film, which will be co-financed by Nintendo and Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc., the statement added. By Jack Guy, CNN
Malay Mail
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
‘Legend of Zelda' goes live-action with British stars for 2027 release
TOKYO, July 17 — Two British actors will play the lead roles in the hotly anticipated live-action film adaptation of the 'Legend of Zelda' video game franchise, Japan's Nintendo announced. The film's release is set for May 2027, joining a stream of game adaptations from 'Super Mario' to 'Sonic the Hedgehog' that have stormed the box office in recent years. Bo Bragason will play Princess Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth will play Link — an elf warrior who swordfights his way through a monster-filled fantasy world — Nintendo said on social media platform X on Wednesday. 'I am very much looking forward to seeing both of them on the big screen,' said the post attributed to game designer and Nintendo executive Shigeru Miyamoto. Miyamoto, the co-producer of 'Super Mario', created the 'Zelda' universe in 1986. Since then, the hugely popular series has sold more than 140 million games worldwide. Its latest installment, 2024's 'The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom', saw the titular character shed her role as a damsel in distress to be the heroine for the first time. Bragason has previously starred in the British TV series Three Girls and Renegade Nell, while Ainsworth was the voice of Pinocchio in a 2022 movie remake. Before the announcement, online speculation had been rife that US trans actress Hunter Schafer, known for HBO hit show Euphoria, might be picked for the part of Zelda. The movie, directed by Wes Ball of the Maze Runner trilogy, is a big-screen first for Zelda, although the game was adapted for a 13-episode animated series in 1989. Movie adaptations of hit video games have become big business, with Nintendo's The Super Mario Bros. Movie the second-highest grossing film of 2023. Among other titles being developed into films are Japan's 'Elden Ring' and US life-simulation game series 'The Sims'. — AFP
The Verge
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Zelda's new live-action stars could be around for a long time
Nintendo just announced the two leads of its live-action Legend of Zelda film, and unlike the celebrity-packed Mario movie cast, Zelda will star two young, lesser-known actors: Bo Bragason as Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link. You may not have heard of them, but there's a good chance they're going to be a part of the franchise for a while. Choosing stars who are in their teens (Ainsworth) and early 20s (Bragason) makes a lot of sense. In the games, even the 'older' Links and Zeldas are still typically young adults, so Bragason and Ainsworth seem like they'll fit the mold. (Yes, I know Link and Zelda are technically older than 100 in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, but they look good for their age.) The choice of younger actors gives them both room to grow into the roles in any potential sequels — which, given Nintendo's growing ambitions beyond video games, the company must already be starting to consider. We can look at Nintendo's recent expansion of Mario beyond games as an example of what might be in store for Zelda. The Super Mario Bros. movie, which was surprisingly good, quickly surpassed $1 billion at the box office, and a sequel is set to debut in 2026. A Donkey Kong spinoff might also be in the works. Both franchises are featured in Nintendo's theme parks, too. It's not hard to imagine Nintendo applying the same blueprint for the Zelda franchise. The Zelda movie has the potential to be a similarly huge hit. The franchise is arguably as popular as it has ever been; Breath of the Wild was the fourth-best-selling game on the original Switch, after all, and Tears of the Kingdom was an excellent followup. If this first Zelda film is even halfway decent, Bragason and Ainsworth might be representative of Zelda and Link for an entire generation of fans. The two aren't complete unknowns – Ainsworth voiced Pinocchio in Disney's 2022 version of the film and played a major role in Netflix's The Haunting of Bly Manor – but Nintendo is still taking a gamble by hinging a potentially risky adaptation on them. They'll likely be in good hands with Wes Ball as director, though, who is known for his work directing the Maze Runner trilogy and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Nintendo is borrowing from a proven strategy here. Warner Bros. recently introduced its second trio of young leads for Harry Potter, and they'll be the faces of a new decade-long series for HBO, much like Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint were before them for the Harry Potter films. Netflix has similarly stuck with the Stranger Things kids all the way through the end, even though the first season debuted nearly 10 years ago. The Legend of Zelda film could be Nintendo's next breakout cultural moment when it debuts in May 2027. If it is, we'll probably be seeing a lot more adventures starring Zelda and Link.
CBC
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Lead cast announced for The Legend of Zelda live-action film, coming May 2027
The lead actors, along with an expected release date, were announced Wednesday for the live-action film of the popular Nintendo game, The Legend of Zelda. The announcement from Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo's representative director and renowned video game designer, was posted on X. Link, the main protagonist, will be played by English actor Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, while English actress Bo Bragason will play Princess Zelda. The film will be an adaptation of the Nintendo game launched in 1986. The Legend of Zelda is set in the kingdom of Hyrule, a fantasy world where Link and Zelda attempt to save the kingdom from the evil Ganon. Ainsworth is known for his starring role as Mark Critch in the Canadian comedy series Son of a Critch. He has also played Miles in the Netflix series The Haunting of Bly Manor, William in Disney's Flora & Ulysses, and the voice of Pinocchio in Disney's live-action remake. Bragason is best known for her roles as Roxy Trotter in Disney's Renegade Nell, and for her roles in the two BBC One series, The Jetty and Three Girls. "I am very much looking forward to seeing both of them on the big screen," wrote Miyamoto, one of the film's producers and one of the Zelda franchise co-creators, on X. In the same post, he confirmed that the film is set to release in theatres on May 7, 2027. It was originally announced for March 26, 2027, but was later delayed by Nintendo. Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. is co-financing and distributing the film, which will be directed by Wes Ball, director of last year's Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Miyamoto is producing it alongside studio executive and producer Avi Arad, the founder and former CEO of Marvel Studios.
CNN
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Leads confirmed for ‘Legend of Zelda' live-action movie
Nintendo has confirmed that Bo Bragason and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth will play the lead characters in an upcoming live-action film based on the smash hit video game series 'The Legend of Zelda.' In a post on Nintendo's official X account, video game designer and film producer Shigeru Miyamoto said he was 'pleased to announce' that Bragason would play Zelda and Ainsworth would play Link. 'I am very much looking forward to seeing both of them on the big screen,' the post reads. 'The film is scheduled to be released in theaters on May 7, 2027. Thank you for your patience,' a follow-up post adds. English actress Bragason, 25, is best known for appearing in Disney+ series 'Renegade Nell' and BBC series 'Three Girls' and 'The Jetty.' Ainsworth, 16, is also English. He has appeared in TV series such as Netflix's 'The Haunting of Bly Manor' and the film 'Flora & Ulysses.' The classic 'Zelda' video game, first released by Nintendo in 1986, follows hero Link, who must defeat a pig-like monster named Ganon along his journey to rescue Zelda, the Princess of Hyrule, according to an official synopsis. The original game has been followed by at least 20 newer versions over almost four decades, the most recent being 'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,' which was released last year. Miyamoto will co-produce the film along with Avi Arad, Chairman of Arad Productions Inc., according to a statement from Nintendo announcing the project in November 2023. Arad is a veteran film producer who has worked on many successful comic book movie franchises, including the various 'Spider-Man' films, as well as the 'Iron Man' and 'X-Men' movies. Wes Ball, best known for his work on 2024 movie 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,' will direct the film, which will be co-financed by Nintendo and Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc., the statement added.
