Nintendo has announced a delay for its live-action The Legend of Zelda movie, pushing the release from March 26, 2027, to May 7, 2027. Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary creator of the Zelda series, explained the change was due to “production reasons” and shared the news on Nintendo’s official X/Twitter account.
This is Miyamoto. For production reasons, we are changing the release date of the live-action film of The Legend of Zelda to May 7, 2027. It will be some weeks later than the release timing we originally announced, and we will take the extra time to make the film as good as it…
— 任天堂株式会社 (@Nintendo) June 9, 2025
“This is Miyamoto. For production reasons, we are changing the release date of the live-action film of The Legend of Zelda to May 7, 2027,” Miyamoto announced. “It will be some weeks later than the release timing we originally announced, and we will take the extra time to make the film as good as it can be. Thank you for your patience.”
The original March release would have put The Legend of Zelda in competition with big movies like Sonic the Hedgehog 4 and Godzilla X Kong: Supernova. Now, the film will open in a spot left open by Avengers: Secret Wars, which was recently pushed back. The only other major movie set for May 2027 is Star Wars: Starfighter, but that comes out at the end of the month.
This project is a team effort between Nintendo and Sony Pictures. Wes Ball, who directed The Maze Runner and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, is set to direct and produce the movie. Other producers include Joe Hartwick Jr., Avi Arad (who helped shape Marvel’s movie success), and Miyamoto himself, who also worked on The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
The film will bring to life characters like Link and Zelda, but the cast has not been officially announced. However, there was controversy when rumors suggested Hunter Schafer, a transgender actor, might play Princess Zelda. Many longtime fans were upset by the idea, arguing that the franchise should avoid getting tangled up in political or identity debates. It’s unclear if this casting rumor is related to the delay, but it definitely stirred up conversation among fans and Schafer stans. The source of the rumor is presumed to be representatives for Schafer.
The script is being written by Derek Connolly, known for Jurassic World and Detective Pikachu. While the delay may disappoint fans, Miyamoto and Ball both promise the extra time will be used to deliver a movie that honors the spirit of the beloved game. Ball has said he will “go to the ends of the Earth to make fans happy,” showing his deep respect for the franchise and its loyal audience.
With all eyes on this much-anticipated adaptation, the hope is that The Legend of Zelda will deliver an adventure worthy of its legendary name—and avoid the pitfalls of modern Hollywood politics.
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