Just over a week ago, film teams arrived in Wellington, New Zealand, and an area of ferns and pine trees in the bush was converted into the lush environment of Hyrule. You can only image the situation as a camera records Bo Bragason, playing Princess Zelda, standing among the trees with two horses close.
One of the saddles bears the obvious Triforce symbol painted on top of a Loftwing emblem, indicating that this is royal family attire. She’s clad in a lovely blue tunic and dark leggings, precisely like we remember her from Breath of the Wild, down to those pointy ears. Crew personnel are on hand to help her navigate the scenario, making little tweaks here and there before she moves on to another individual in the shot.
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Dichen Lachman, the Severance and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes actress, is standing beside Zelda, and you can guarantee she’s the one handing out what appears to be a sword, given that she’s almost clad in full battle armor. Fans quickly realized she was Impa, Zelda’s beloved Sheikah protector from all of the games. One interesting detail is that Lachman collaborated with director Wes Ball on the Apes film, which likely explains why she ended up here. The horses are all suited up and ready to leave, with one even donning some beautiful Hylian finery, implying that this is a moment of departure or preparation for an expedition.
Now we’ve got a clip of Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link, kind of further back in the frame. And of course he’s rocking the classic green tunic look from Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess – long blonde hair framing his face, and those pointed elf ears just poking out. He hasn’t put on a hat yet but he does pull on a cloak, likely to protect the costume from all the wear and tear while they’re filming. The footage here is a bit fuzzy as a tree is blocking most of the view, but you can see the tunic’s earthy fabric and the belt details all shining through.
Some speculated that it was all faked by AI, but it is clearly not – you can hear the crew chatter, the horses moving around, and everything else, and the lighting is consistent, making it appear as if they are genuinely on location. Of course, Nintendo and Sony have kept their mouths shut, as they typically do when information like this leaks out early. Production began on November 4 and will continue until April 2026, giving them plenty of time to build the sets and shoot the entire thing now that the May 7, 2027 release date is established. Sony Pictures is in charge of worldwide distribution, while Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto, Avi Arad, and others are producing. Ball is directing from a scenario by Derek Connolly and T.S. Nowlin, who are drawing on the broad lore of the Zelda franchise without attaching it to any specific game.
New Zealand’s landscapes have been used before to get some amazing shots, of course – who could forget The Lord of the Rings? – and now they’re being stretched out to create the rolling fields and forests of Hyrule. The listing confirm the move to active shooting, with the cast all locked in place for the major roles. Bragason, who’s just 22, brings a nice fresh energy to Zelda after she’s had a crack at Renegade Nell. And Ainsworth – he’s only 16 – is stepping into Link’s boots after doing some voice work for Pinocchio.
Impa, played by Lachman, is one of the most enduring characters in the game series, dating back to the original and continuing into Skyward Sword. Lachman’s casting will be a good mix of ‘oh, I’ve seen her before’ and ‘wait a minute, I haven’t seen her in that character before,’ which should only help the supporting cast.
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