Following the announcement and the subsequent rousing success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, fans of Nintendo properties became hopeful that other Nintendo hits that might spark video game adaptations. Chief among those was The Legend of Zelda. In short order, Nintendo then made those dreams come true by confirming plans for a live-action Zelda movie. Now that movie has taken its most important step forward.
The two lead roles of Zelda and Link have been officially cast for the film version, and while the names aren’t likely to rouse a great deal of excitement, and both are relative unknowns, what’s vital to understand here isn’t who has been cast, but that casting has happened, because it means The Legend of Zelda movie is actually real.
The Legend of Zelda Movie Has Cast Its Zelda And Link
The news of Zelda and Link’s casting came via Nintendo’s official Twitter account and a post signed by Shigeru Miyamoto. In the post, released in both Japanese and English, he announced that Bo Bragason was cast as Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth is set to take the role of Link.
Both actors are from the UK. Bo Bragason has appeared in Renegade Nell, available with a Disney+ subscription, as well as in The Jetty alongside former Doctor Who companion Jenna Coleman.
Meanwhile, Ainsworth was the voice of Pinocchio in the Disney live-action remake alongside Tom Hanks. He more recently appeared in the film Everything’s Going to be Great with Bryan Cranston.
Deciding now whether these are great casting choices is just short of impossible. Neither actor has ever done anything quite like The Legend of Zelda, and the franchise has been portrayed so many different ways in video games, we don’t even know what sort of Zelda movie we’re getting. What’s important is that casting has happened, because that’s what happens before filming gets underway.
The Legend Of Zelda Movie Is Really Happening
As somebody who has grown up with The Legend of Zelda since the very first game on the Nintendo Entertainment System, I’m honestly having trouble coming to terms with this recent news. Even when the movie was announced, I took the news with a grain of salt. It’s far from uncommon for movies that are planned to never happen, but that doesn’t happen nearly as often if we make it this point.
Fans who have wanted a Legend of Zelda movie for decades, who have dealt with near-constant rumors of one, maybe, possibly, happening, only to have every rumor be debunked, are actually going to see Link and Zelda on the big screen.
The Legend of Zelda movie is still nearly two years away, so it’s going to be a while before we actually see anything and get any idea of what this movie will be, but it’s all but assured now that we will see it. Wow.