First Zelda movie images revealed by Nintendo

Nintendo reveals three new promotional images for the new Legend of Zelda movie adaptation.

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The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a billion-dollar success, so it's no surprise that Nintendo is moving forward with more film adaptations based on its iconic franchises. Mario is getting a sequel with Super Mario Galaxy, and a Zelda film is in production for release in May 2027. Fans have speculated on a Zelda live action adaptation for years, and Nintendo is finally ready to make it happen.

Now the company has released new images that show how Link and Zelda will appear in the film. The movie stars Bo Bragason as Princess Zelda, and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link, and the new images feel like stylized versions of the characters as they appear in Breath of the Wild. The promos also show what appears to be the bright, sun-lit Hyrule Field with its sweeping grasslands.

• Read more: Nintendo Stars subsidiary formed to handle video game movie adaptations

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Miyamoto gave this update on Twitter: "We have officially begun filming the live-action movie adaptation of"The Legend of Zelda in the magnificent great outdoors, together with Bo Bragason, who plays Zelda, and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, who plays Link. The filming is progressing smoothly, so I would appreciate it if you could quietly watch over us. The theatrical release is scheduled for May 7, 2027. Please wait just a little longer."

While Nintendo does hope to reap royalties and profits from the films based on its franchises, the main goal with these transmedia adaptations is, in Nintendo's own words, to "grow the Nintendo IP fanbase."

Here's what Nintendo said about its IP strategy in a recent earnings report:

"We strive to build a relationship of trust with our consumers by carefully crafting and delivering high-quality games, products, and services featuring these Nintendo characters.

"We believe that accumulating this trust is what changes people from simply knowing our characters into becoming fans of our IP. This approach is common not only to our dedicated video game platform business but also to our initiatives outside of gaming, such as movies and character merchandise."