Hold on to Your Rupees! Nintendo's Zelda Movie Casts Two Relative Newbies - But Are They Link and Zelda Material?
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Nintendo's live-action Zelda movie is moving forward with relatively unknown actors as Link and Zelda, suggesting a more grounded approach – but will it capture the magic of Hyrule, or will it flop harder than a Moblin off a cliff?
Right, so Nintendo's finally chucked us a bone regarding their live-action *The Legend of Zelda* movie. And, fair dinkum, it's a bit of a curveball. Forget household names (sorry, no Jack Black as Ganon... yet!), they've tapped Benjamin Evan Ainsworth to wield the Master Sword as Link and Bo Bragason to embody the wisdom of Zelda.
Now, before you start sharpening your pitchforks – or, y'know, rage-tweeting – let's have a gander at who these two actually are. Because, let's be honest, unless you're *really* clued in, you're probably scratching your head right now. (I know I was!)
According to IGN, who broke the story, Ainsworth, the young lad from Yorkshire (England), isn't exactly fresh off the boat. He had a stint in *Emmerdale* (a British soap opera), faced some seriously spooky kids in Netflix’s *The Haunting of Bly Manor*, and even voiced Pinocchio in Disney’s live-action remake. He’s also been kicking about in *Son of a Critch* and *Everything's Going to Be Great!* Sounds like he's been keeping busy, eh?
Bragason, on the other hand, has a slightly more intriguing (and random) backstory. Born in 2004, she apparently popped up in a French film as a toddler, which is a fun fact to drop at your next gaming night. Here's the kicker: she did motion capture for Young Luna in *Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV*. So, technically, this isn’t her first rodeo with video game adaptations. She's also had roles in *Renegade Nell* and *The Jetty*, where she played a rebellious, drink-swilling teen. (Picture *that* Zelda. Now *that's* a twist!)
So, what does this all mean? Well, it suggests Nintendo's going for a more grounded, less flashy approach, which echoes comments from director Wes Ball (of *Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes* fame). He wants a Zelda that feels "real," which, considering the source material, is a *bloody* ambitious aim, isn't it? No singing and dancing Ganons, apparently. (Though, a small part of me is now sad about that.)
The big question now is: which *Zelda* game are they adapting? Or are they forging their own path? Breath of the Wild seems like a safe bet given the current resurgence for the title, but who knows what Nintendo has in store. Perhaps they'll be some kind of Web3 integration, offering exclusive in-game items for movie ticket holders? Okay, that's probably just wishful thinking on my part... unless?
Whatever happens, this is just the first step. We still need to see trailers, plot details, and, most importantly, those pointy Hylian ears! Hopefully, Nintendo will deliver something that does the *Zelda* legacy justice. And maybe, just maybe, we'll get a Tingle cameo. One can dream, right?
Tags: Legend of Zelda, Nintendo, Movie Adaptation, Gaming News, Web3 Gaming
Original article: IGN South Africa