The live-action The Legend of Zelda movie has picked up several new cast members, and one of the names comes with a bittersweet note: Sam Neill, the New Zealand actor best known as Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, reportedly filmed a role in the adaptation before his death in July.
According to Deadline, whose reporting was relayed by both PC Gamer and Polygon, Neill completed his work on the Nintendo and Sony Pictures project during the shoot, which wrapped in spring 2026. Neill died suddenly on July 13 at the age of 78. Neither Nintendo nor Sony has confirmed his role, and the outlets note the film could end up being one of his final on-screen appearances. Polygon adds that Neill is also expected to appear in Godzilla x Kong: Supernova and The Last Resort.
Who else is joining the cast
Alongside Neill, Deadline reports three more additions:
- Uli Latukefu (Young Rock) as Ganondorf
- Dichen Lachman (Severance) as Impa, the Sheikah bodyguard to Hyrule's royal family
- Yvonne Strahovski (The Handmaid's Tale, Mass Effect 2) as a queen character, whose exact identity has not been specified
They join the previously announced leads: Bo Bragason (Renegade Nell) as Princess Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (Son of a Critch) as Link. Polygon notes that fan reaction to Ainsworth has warmed following his work in the third season of House of the Dragon.
Neill's own part remains a mystery. Polygon's writer floated the King of Hyrule as a guess but questioned whether Neill's frame fit the role, so it stays speculation until Nintendo or Sony says otherwise.
Behind the camera and the release window
The film is directed by Wes Ball, whose recent credits include Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and the Maze Runner series. Ball has previously said he wants the fantasy adaptation to feel more "grounded" and "real." Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto is producing alongside Sony veteran Avi Arad.
Shooting took place in New Zealand, Neill's home country, and set leaks reported by Polygon suggest at least part of the movie was filmed in a woodsy outdoor setting, including a scene of Impa counseling Zelda.
On the release date, the two outlets aren't fully aligned. PC Gamer lists an April 30 release, while Polygon references both a May 2027 window and an April 30, 2027 theatrical date. Either way, the target is spring 2027, and Nintendo has shared little beyond initial cast announcements and photos.
What this means for players
If you're following how Nintendo is bringing The Legend of Zelda to the big screen, the picture is finally filling in: a director with recent blockbuster experience, Miyamoto attached as producer, and a cast that now spans Zelda, Link, Ganondorf, Impa, and a not-yet-named queen. The Neill report adds a somber footnote to a project that's still more than a year out. Expect Nintendo to reveal actual footage well before the film reaches theaters in spring 2027, and treat casting specifics as unconfirmed until the studios say so directly.