The Legend of Zelda adaptation is being filmed in locations familiar from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
Filming for The Legend of Zelda movie from Nintendo and Sony Pictures has officially started in New Zealand. According to updated data from the Film & Television Industry Alliance (FTIA), the project has entered the active production stage.
The main filming location is in Wellington — the place where The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were once filmed. The location was not chosen by chance: director Wes Ball noted that he aims to create an adventure film that would be "realistic, beautiful, and at the same time filled with magic."
According to available information, production will last until April 2026. From Nintendo's recent address to investors, the release is scheduled for 2027. The film will be the company's next major project after the animated The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which is scheduled for release on April 3, 2026.
The plot of The Legend of Zelda Movie follows the canon of the classic games: the young warrior Link must once again save the kingdom of Hyrule from Ganondorf. The main roles are played by Bo Bragason (Zelda) and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (Link) — so far these are the only confirmed actors.
The project is supervised by Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of the original series, and Avi Arad, the former head of Marvel Studios. The script was written by Derek Connolly (Jurassic World). Production is jointly financed by Nintendo and Sony Pictures Entertainment, which will also handle international distribution.
