The “video game curse” is now a thing of the past, as all sorts of game-to-screen adaptations aren’t just finding success, but elevating and evolving their source material to reveal new facets of their fantastical worlds. The Last of Us fleshed out its grim world, while Super Mario Bros. Movie and A Minecraft Movie doubled down on the inherent goofiness of those franchises. One of the most beloved game franchises ever is attempting a cinematic adaptation now too, but fans will have to wait just a little longer to see how it tackles one of Nintendo’s greatest creations.
Back in 2023, Sony and Nintendo announced that they would co-finance a Legend of Zelda live-action adaptation, directed by Wes Ball of the Maze Runner franchise. Details were scarce, but fans were already looking to who could take on the series’ main roles, with Euphoria’s Hunter Schafer telling Variety later that year that playing Zelda would “be so cool.”
We finally got an update in March 2025, when Nintendo announced that the film had a release date, March 27, 2027, and a new writer, T.S. Nowlin, who wrote the Maze Runner movies as well as The Adam Project and Pacific Rim: Uprising. Then, on June 9, Nintendo executive and Zelda co-creator Shigeru Miyamoto took to social media to reveal the movie has been delayed, but only until May 7, 2027. Miyamoto said this was due to “production reasons,” but a look at the 2027 movie release calendar reveals that the delay may actually work in the movie’s favor.
Traditionally, an early May release works well as a kickoff to the summer movie season — this year, Thunderbolts came out on May 2. May 7, 2027, was originally supposed to be yet another massive Marvel weekend, as Avengers: Secret Wars was set to premiere then. But it was delayed to December, and by grabbing the date, Zelda can take advantage of the schedule gap and, potentially, the profits traditionally associated with a May release.
There are still no casting announcements, and a fan-favorite choice for Princess Zelda may not be involved after all. Rumors are swirling that Hunter Schafer is being eyed for a Marvel role, but won’t be involved with the Zelda movie. Luckily, the creative team now has a few more weeks to find the right fit.
