The Legend of Zelda Live-Action Movie: Will Link Speak or Remain Tacit?
Nintendo/Sony is moving forward with a live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda, currently in production in New Zealand and aimed for a May 2027 release after a postponement from March of the same year. The project is helmed by Wes Ball, the filmmaker behind the Maze Runner series for 20th Century Studios and the recent Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, signaling an ambition to translate a sprawling adventure to the big screen.
Takaya Imamura, the art director behind 2000’s Majora’s Mask, has a notable caveat for the film: he believes Link should stay silent. In a social-media thread prompted by fan reactions to the movie, Imamura warned that letting the hero speak could dampen the “Zelda magic” fans have cherished. He later added that, while dialogue is likely to exist, Link should feel like a taciturn figure on screen.
In the games, Link is famously mute, a design choice that invites players to project their feelings onto the hero. There is a lore thread from a 2024 diary entry in Echoes of Wisdom by a character named Lueberry suggesting that, as a child, Link fell into a Rift and returned unable to speak. Whether this backstory will inform the film remains to be seen, but it provides a potential explanation for the character’s reticence.
Director Wes Ball initially teased a playful approach to the dialogue question. In an exchange with Comic Book ahead of the first look at the cast, Ball joked that the film might mimic the game’s dialogue system: “A or B or C. I’ll just have it like the game—little dialogue boxes pop up, and you pick which one you want. Link communicates with villagers, you just don’t hear his voice.”
Casting is underway, with Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, known for The Haunting of Bly Manor and Pinocchio, set to portray Link, while Bo Bragason is tapped for Zelda. As filming progresses toward a May 2027 release, fans will have to wait to see whether Link’s voice makes its debut on the big screen.
Until then, explore our list of the most anticipated movies of 2027.