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After The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Nintendo's next step into the world of cinema will be a live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda, directed by Wes Ball. The film is not set to release until May 7, 2027, so there has been little promotion so far, but a few details have begun to emerge as the film approaches its expected wrap date this April. It had previously been announced that The Legend of Zelda would be filmed in New Zealand, and thanks to some local news reports, fans now know which specific region will stand in for the land of Hyrule.
The Legend of Zelda's production has been spotted in Otago, including the small town of Glenorchy. These names may ring a bell for those familiar with Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy from the early 2000s, as some notable pieces of Middle-earth's landscape were filmed there. This is a promising sign, and not just for nostalgic The Lord of the Rings fans. Nintendo's commitment to filming on location in Otago is evidence that the company will position The Legend of Zelda as a prestige fantasy epic rather than just another video game movie.
Otago, located on the southern island of New Zealand, is home to a combination of rivers and mountainous terrain that made it ideal for several areas of Middle-earth's map. New Zealand's Department of Conservation website has an entire page dedicated to listing filming locations from The Lord of the Rings, including those in Otago. Some notable examples include Saruman's realm of Isengard, the Ford of Bruinen across which Arwen carried a wounded Frodo Baggins, and the pair of giant riverside statues known as the Argonath.
Throughout The Legend of Zelda series, there has been no shortage of rivers or mountains in Hyrule, so the revelation that the upcoming film is shooting in Otago does little to narrow down the setting. However, it does indicate that Link and Princess Zelda will spend a substantial amount of time in the wilderness instead of cities and dungeons.
The Legend of Zelda's production has been spotted in Otago, including the small town of Glenorchy. These names may ring a bell for those familiar with Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy from the early 2000s, as some notable pieces of Middle-earth's landscape were filmed there. This is a promising sign, and not just for nostalgic The Lord of the Rings fans. Nintendo's commitment to filming on location in Otago is evidence that the company will position The Legend of Zelda as a prestige fantasy epic rather than just another video game movie.
Otago, located on the southern island of New Zealand, is home to a combination of rivers and mountainous terrain that made it ideal for several areas of Middle-earth's map. New Zealand's Department of Conservation website has an entire page dedicated to listing filming locations from The Lord of the Rings, including those in Otago. Some notable examples include Saruman's realm of Isengard, the Ford of Bruinen across which Arwen carried a wounded Frodo Baggins, and the pair of giant riverside statues known as the Argonath.
Throughout The Legend of Zelda series, there has been no shortage of rivers or mountains in Hyrule, so the revelation that the upcoming film is shooting in Otago does little to narrow down the setting. However, it does indicate that Link and Princess Zelda will spend a substantial amount of time in the wilderness instead of cities and dungeons.
