Nintendo is making long-awaited cinematic leap with The Legend Of Zelda and, naturally, we're pretty excited. The film adaptation of the iconic video game, which is slated for release in 2027, is the latest in a line of games to receive the big-screen treatment, from The Last Of Us, to A24's recently announced endeavour, Elden Ring. And while details remain under lock and key, one rumour has captured the internet's — and the RUSSH team's — attention: Euphoria’s Hunter Schafer is reportedly in the running to play Princess Zelda. While it's all speculation, the rumours have been enough to set our mind's into overdrive, imagining, obsessing, and manifesting the perfect cast.
Here at RUSSH, we couldn’t help but join the conversation. Below, everything we know about the Legend Of Zelda adaptation so far.
What is The Legend Of Zelda actually about?
If you've never actually sat down to play the game, allow us to catch you up. First released way back in 1986, The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo’s most iconic and enduring video game franchises. It's actually not just one game: there are over 20 main titles and numerous spin-offs, with the series itself spanning nearly four decades, and selling more than 140 million copies worldwide.
At its core, the series follows Link, a brave and often silent hero, on a quest to rescue Princess Zelda and protect the magical kingdom of Hyrule from various threats — most notably the villainous Ganondorf. Along the way, players must solve puzzles, explore vast landscapes, and battle monsters, all while uncovering ancient lore and hidden truths.
Each game retells the legend with slight variations, from varying timelines, to different versions of the characters, but the key of the struggle between good and evil remains the same. In saying that, it's hard to know exactly which version the film adaptation will draw from, but there's plenty of source material to work with.
Who is involved?
American director Wes Ball is leading the adaptation. He's best known for helming three of the Maze Runner films, so he's well versed in the world of fantasy adaptations.
Zelda creator and game developer Shigeru Miyamoto is also working the film. Back in 2023, he took to Nintendo's social media channels to share his involvement, writing, "I have been working on the live-action film of The Legend of Zelda for many years now with Avi Arad-san, who has produced many mega hit films. I have asked Avi-san to produce this film with me, and we have now officially started the development of the film with Nintendo itself heavily involved in the production. It will take time until its completion, but I hope you look forward to seeing it.” For those unfamiliar, Arad is a producer best known for his work on the Spider Man films.
What about the cast?
As the live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda begins to take shape, the question on everyone’s lips isn’t just “Will it be good?”, it’s “Who will be cast?” The most predominant rumour swirling right now is that Hunter Schafer will take on the role of Zelda. Ethereal and enigmatic, the actress bears more than a passing resemblance to the Hylian princess at the centre of the game. She's also previously expressed that she'd be on board to bring the game to life. In 2023, she told Entertainment Tonight, “That would be so cool. I played that video game a bunch when I was a kid. That’s such a good game.” She went on, “I’ve seen another wave of the fan cast and everything, which is just really sweet. I’m honoured that they even think of me for that.”
As for the role of Link, it remains anyone's game, but if we had to pick, we'd argue Tom Blythe could be a viable option. Best known for his role as young Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Blythe has already proven he can hold his own in a dystopian world — and bring a complex stillness to the screen while doing it. Beyond his previous experience, we can't help but notice that Blythe pretty perfectly fits into Link's appearance across the long-running video game series: the character is typically described as young, handsome blonde, and with vivid blue eyes. Perhaps he'll be returning to the peroxide blonde locks of his Hunger Games roots before too long?
We'll keep you updated as we know more.
