The Legend of Zelda Movie Leak Finally Shows Live Action Link and Zelda

For the first time, fans finally have something more than concept art and casting announcements to obsess over: alleged on set footage from Nintendo’s live action The Legend of Zelda movie has leaked online, apparently giving us our very first look at Link and Zelda moving through a real forest instead of a cel shaded Hyrule. The short clips, filmed from a distance in the New Zealand countryside, have already ricocheted across social media and fan forums, sparking frame by frame breakdowns, costume analysis, and the first heated arguments over what this adaptation is trying to be.

A forest clearing, a sword, and a mysterious third figure

The videos, filmed from what looks like a hill above the set, show a large woodland clearing teeming with extras, horses and armored knights. At the center of the scene stand three figures who appear to be the movie’s core trio.

One is clearly Link, in a green tunic and cap that instantly evokes his classic Ocarina of Time design. Beside him stands a robed Zelda, while a third character with distinct Sheikah style clothing hands something long and gleaming to the princess. In several frames, it is easy to read the object as a sword, traded in the middle of the gathering as though Zelda is being formally entrusted with a sacred weapon.

Even though the footage was shot secretly on a phone, the zoom quality is sharp enough that it almost feels like the crew did not mind being watched. Some fans joke that whoever recorded it was practically part of the extras, they were so close to the action. The horses milling around the clearing have already triggered speculation of their own, with viewers wondering if one of them is meant to be Epona, Link’s famous steed, or if this is more of a general Hyrulean cavalry unit marching off to war.

Costumes that blend Breath of the Wild and classic Zelda

Costume design has immediately become the main talking point. Zelda is dressed in flowing blue robes with ornate detailing, a clear nod to her royal outfits in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. The color palette, embroidery and silhouette feel firmly rooted in that modern era of the games, signaling that the movie is keenly aware of the series resurgence on Nintendo Switch. Link, on the other hand, is in unmistakably old school gear: green tunic, hat, bracers and boots that echo his 3D debut on Nintendo 64. It is as if the production team has mashed together several iconic versions of Hyrule into a single cinematic timeline.

One detail already stirring debate is Zelda’s hair. In the majority of the games she is blonde, a visual counterpart to Link himself. In the footage, she appears to be wearing darker, brunette hair, closer to her Twilight Princess look than the more recent Switch titles. Some viewers have shrugged, arguing that Zelda has changed appearance many times over the decades. Others see it as an early sign that the movie is taking small but pointed liberties with canon for the sake of a grounded, slightly less fantastical tone. For now, the argument sits firmly in the nitpicking zone, but it has not stopped entire threads from being dedicated to screenshots of her braid.

Link, Zelda and a likely Impa: what the leak suggests about the cast

The two leads in the scene are almost certainly Bo Bragason as Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link, matching their silhouettes and costumes from earlier promotional images. The real intrigue comes from the third figure. Fans are convinced that the warrior handing Zelda the sword is Impa, long time Sheikah guardian of the royal family and one of the oldest recurring characters in the franchise. The actress strongly resembles Dichen Lachman, best known for her role in Severance and a previous collaboration with director Wes Ball on Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

Nintendo and the production team have yet to officially confirm Lachman’s involvement, but the combination of her distinctive features, the character’s armor design, and her history with Ball make the casting feel extremely plausible. If it is indeed Impa, the scene we are seeing might be a formal rite of passage moment: Zelda receiving a blade from her trusted mentor while the knights of Hyrule stand witness, hinting at a more active, battle ready version of the princess than many of the earlier games allowed.

How closely will the movie follow the games?

Beyond the leak, only a broad official synopsis is publicly known. The film follows Link, described as a young warrior fated to defend the kingdom of Hyrule from Ganon, a ruthless warlord bent on seizing the Triforce, an ancient relic said to grant limitless power. To stop him, Link must travel across a dangerous world, battling monsters, delving into dungeons, solving puzzles and collecting sacred artifacts that can turn the tide. It is essentially a distilled recipe of what The Legend of Zelda has always been, rather than a direct retelling of a single specific game.

That looseness is already fueling speculation. Some fans are worried that the story will be sanded down into something that feels more like a safe, family friendly fantasy blockbuster in the vein of modern Disney than the quieter, more mysterious tone of the games. Others are bracing for the possibility that Zelda will handle more of the sword fighting while Link spends a portion of the movie lost, learning his place, or even being treated as comic relief. The leaked scene, where a solemn Zelda is handed a weapon while Link watches, has been interpreted both as a promising sign of a more equal partnership and as ammunition for those convinced the adaptation will sideline the hero entirely.

Nintendo’s big screen ambitions and the long wait ahead

Whatever form the final movie takes, it is clear Nintendo is treating it as a pillar of a broader cinematic strategy. The project is being produced by Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary creator behind Mario and Zelda, alongside veteran Hollywood producer Avi Arad, whose resume includes the early wave of Marvel films. Jurassic World writer Derek Connolly has penned the script, while Wes Ball is in the director’s chair, bringing his experience with large scale, effects heavy franchises.

Nintendo has penciled in May 7, 2027 as the theatrical release date, and has recently reiterated that target while teasing a steady pipeline of game based films in the wake of The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s box office success. The Zelda adaptation is positioned as the crown jewel of that slate, a chance to prove that Hyrule can work as more than a silent, player driven adventure. At the same time, the clandestine nature of the New Zealand shoot underlines how early the production still is. Sets will change, costumes will evolve, scenes will be reshot or cut entirely.

For now, the leaked footage is a tantalizing but incomplete glimpse: Link in classic green, Zelda in elegant blue, a likely Impa passing her a blade in a sunlit clearing, horses restless in the background as knights look on. It is enough to ignite hype, anxiety, and endless debate, but not yet enough to reveal what kind of legend this movie will carve into Hyrule’s already crowded pantheon.