More leaked footage from Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda movie set has emerged, giving fans even better looks at Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link and Bo Bragason as Princess Zelda. The new videos and photos reveal additional details that the initial leaks missed, including ornate horse saddles decorated with Triforce symbols and a scene showing Zelda receiving what appears to be a weapon from an unidentified character.
The additional footage comes from Instagram users who captured the New Zealand filming from a distance. While Nintendo and Sony Pictures will likely work to remove this content, the images have already spread across social media and gaming forums, confirming that production is proceeding exactly as fans hoped with costumes and designs faithful to the source material.
Clearer Look at Link’s Costume
The new footage provides the best view yet of Link’s iconic green tunic. The costume appears remarkably faithful to the games, particularly the design seen in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. The shade of green matches what longtime fans expect, and the fabric has a practical, adventuring quality rather than looking overly theatrical or costume-like.
Benjamin Evan Ainsworth’s hair has been styled to match Link’s signature look from the games, a noticeable change from the initial casting announcement images that had some fans concerned. The 18-year-old actor’s youthful appearance fits perfectly with Link’s traditional depiction as a young hero just beginning his journey to save Hyrule.
Practical Costume Design
What stands out most about the costume is how practical and lived-in it appears. Rather than a pristine fantasy outfit, Link’s tunic looks like genuine adventuring gear that could withstand dungeon exploration and monster battles. This approach suggests director Wes Ball is aiming for grounded realism within the fantasy setting, similar to how Peter Jackson approached costume design for The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The attention to detail extends to accessories and equipment visible in the footage. While specific weapons aren’t clearly shown, Link appears to have various straps and pouches that could hold items, bombs, arrows, and other adventure essentials familiar to anyone who has played the games. This suggests the movie will embrace the exploration and resource management elements central to Zelda gameplay.
Zelda’s Blue Adventuring Outfit
Princess Zelda appears in a blue outfit that immediately calls to mind her appearance in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. In those games, Zelda wore practical blue traveling clothes rather than royal gowns, reflecting her role as an active participant in the adventure rather than a damsel passively waiting for rescue.
The costume choice signals important narrative decisions about Zelda’s role in the movie. Rather than spending the entire film captured or powerless, she apparently joins Link on his journey. This modernizes the traditional Zelda formula where the princess typically appears only at the beginning and end, spending most of the story trapped or hidden away.
The Weapon Exchange Scene
One of the newly leaked videos shows a particularly intriguing scene where an unknown character hands Princess Zelda what appears to be a weapon near two horses. The exchange suggests Zelda will actively fight alongside Link rather than remaining defenseless. This fits with recent games where Zelda has been portrayed as capable and powerful in her own right.
The character handing Zelda the weapon is believed to be Dichen Lachman playing Impa, though this casting hasn’t been officially confirmed. If accurate, Impa serving as Zelda’s mentor and providing her with weapons or equipment would align perfectly with the character’s role across multiple games as both protector and trainer.
The Triforce Horse Saddles
Perhaps the most delightful detail revealed in the new footage involves horse saddles decorated with the Triforce symbol. The iconic three-triangle emblem appears prominently on the tack, immediately identifying these as horses connected to Hyrule’s royal family or Link’s quest. This attention to world-building details demonstrates Nintendo’s involvement in ensuring every visual element references the games.
Horses have been central to Zelda gameplay since Ocarina of Time introduced Epona, Link’s faithful steed. The Breath of the Wild games expanded horse mechanics significantly, making them essential for traversing Hyrule’s vast landscapes. Including horses in the movie makes perfect sense both for transportation and as iconic imagery fans expect from a Zelda adaptation.
Epona or Generic Horses
The leaked footage doesn’t definitively reveal whether one of the horses is Epona specifically or if they’re generic mounts. Epona traditionally appears as a brown horse with a white mane, bonded to Link through a special song played on the ocarina. If the movie includes Epona, it would represent one of the most beloved elements of the franchise and provide an emotional connection for longtime fans.
However, the film might opt for generic horses to avoid overloading the story with too many specific game references. Balancing fan service with accessibility for general audiences who haven’t played the games represents one of the biggest challenges for any video game adaptation. The Triforce saddles strike a nice middle ground, adding visual detail for fans without requiring explanation.
New Zealand Locations Shine
The leaked footage showcases New Zealand’s stunning natural beauty, with dense forests providing the perfect backdrop for Hyrule’s wilderness. The location choice makes tremendous sense given the country’s established reputation as a fantasy filming destination. The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit films, and Chronicles of Narnia all used New Zealand landscapes to create immersive fantasy worlds.
The specific filming locations appear to be in forested areas outside Wellington, though exact coordinates haven’t been publicly disclosed to prevent fan pilgrimages that could disrupt production. The lush greenery and natural lighting visible in the leaks suggest the filmmakers are taking full advantage of practical locations rather than relying entirely on green screen and digital environments.
Practical vs Digital Environments
Director Wes Ball is known for blending practical locations with digital enhancements. His work on Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes showcased this approach, using real environments augmented with computer-generated elements. For Zelda, this likely means filming in New Zealand forests while adding digital effects for magical elements, distant castles, and fantastical creatures.
The balance between practical and digital will be crucial for achieving the right tone. Too much CGI risks making the world feel artificial, while purely practical locations might lack the magical quality essential to Zelda’s identity. Based on the leaked footage showing real forests, horses, and actors, Ball appears to be grounding the film in physical reality before layering in fantasy elements during post-production.
What These Leaks Reveal About the Plot
The scenes captured in the leaked footage provide subtle hints about the movie’s narrative structure. The presence of Link and Zelda together on horseback with Impa suggests the story doesn’t follow the traditional formula where Zelda is immediately captured and Link quests alone to rescue her. Instead, the three may travel together for at least part of the adventure.
This would represent a significant departure from most Zelda games where Link works in isolation, occasionally receiving guidance from NPCs but rarely traveling with companions. The exception is certain sections of games like Spirit Tracks and Breath of the Wild where Zelda actively assists Link. A buddy adventure structure would make the film more dynamic and allow for character development through interaction rather than internal monologue.
Introducing General Audiences to Hyrule
For viewers unfamiliar with the games, having Zelda and Impa alongside Link solves important exposition problems. They can naturally explain Hyrule’s history, the Triforce’s significance, and Ganon’s threat through dialogue rather than awkward voiceover narration. This approach worked well for The Lord of the Rings, where experienced characters like Gandalf and Aragorn guided the inexperienced Frodo through Middle-earth.
The weapon exchange scene particularly suggests Zelda is preparing for combat, indicating she won’t remain helpless throughout the story. Modern audiences expect female characters to be active participants, and Nintendo’s recent games have moved away from the damsel in distress trope. Having Zelda fight alongside Link represents both good storytelling and smart marketing to contemporary viewers.
Production Timeline and Release
Filming began on November 4, 2025 and is scheduled to continue through April 2026, giving the production roughly six months of shooting time. This extended schedule indicates an ambitious scope with extensive location work, complex action sequences, and scenes requiring significant coordination between actors, stunt performers, and visual effects teams.
Following the completion of principal photography, post-production will extend through early 2027 for the scheduled May 7, 2027 theatrical release. This gives the visual effects teams approximately one year to complete computer-generated creatures, magical effects, environmental enhancements, and other digital elements. The timeline suggests a substantial effects workload, which makes sense for a fantasy adventure on this scale.
Marketing Campaign Expectations
Industry observers predict the first official trailer could arrive around February 2026, timed to The Legend of Zelda’s 40th anniversary. Nintendo has a history of celebrating franchise milestones with major announcements, and a trailer reveal would generate maximum attention while leaving adequate time for building audience awareness before the May 2027 release.
However, these leaked videos have already generated organic marketing worth millions in equivalent advertising value. Social media discussion, news coverage, and fan excitement are building anticipation without costing Nintendo or Sony a dollar. While the companies will officially discourage leaks, the overwhelmingly positive reaction serves their interests by confirming the production is meeting fan expectations.
Fan Community Response
The Zelda community’s reaction to the additional leaked footage has been even more enthusiastic than responses to the initial videos. Fans are dissecting every frame, identifying costume details, speculating about story elements, and creating fan art based on the live-action designs. Reddit threads, Twitter discussions, and YouTube analysis videos demonstrate the intense interest surrounding this project.
Particular praise has focused on the costume accuracy and the inclusion of small details like the Triforce horse saddles. These touches prove Nintendo is heavily involved in production and protecting the integrity of their intellectual property. After decades of terrible video game movies that ignored source material, seeing a Zelda adaptation that respects the games feels significant to longtime fans.
Skeptics and Concerns
Not everyone is convinced by the leaked footage, though skeptics represent a small minority. Some worry the costumes look too much like cosplay rather than believable adventuring gear, though most observers disagree with this assessment. Others express concern about whether Link will speak in the movie, as his traditional silence works in games but could be awkward in a two-hour film.
The biggest question mark remains whether the story will satisfy both hardcore fans and general audiences. Zelda lore is incredibly complex with multiple timelines, recurring characters, and decades of mythology. Simplifying this for a mainstream movie audience while preserving what makes Zelda special represents a tremendous creative challenge that won’t be fully answered until the film releases.
FAQs
What new details do the additional set leaks reveal?
The new leaked footage shows clearer views of Link’s green tunic and Zelda’s blue outfit, horses with saddles decorated with Triforce symbols, and a scene where an unknown character hands Princess Zelda what appears to be a weapon. The videos also showcase the New Zealand filming locations in more detail.
Will Zelda fight in the movie?
The leaked footage showing Zelda receiving a weapon suggests she will actively participate in combat rather than remaining helpless. This aligns with recent Zelda games that portray the princess as capable and powerful, moving away from the damsel in distress trope.
Are the horses in the leaked videos supposed to be Epona?
The leaked footage shows horses with Triforce-decorated saddles but doesn’t definitively confirm whether one is Epona, Link’s iconic steed from the games. The horses could be generic mounts or the movie might feature Epona specifically, though no official confirmation exists yet.
Where in New Zealand is the Zelda movie filming?
The movie is filming in forested areas near Wellington, New Zealand, the same region used for The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies. Specific locations haven’t been publicly disclosed to prevent disruptions to the production schedule.
Who is the character giving Zelda the weapon?
The character hasn’t been officially identified, but fans believe it’s Dichen Lachman playing Impa, Zelda’s bodyguard and mentor from the games. This casting hasn’t been confirmed by Nintendo or Sony Pictures.
Will Nintendo remove the leaked videos?
Nintendo and Sony Pictures will likely request social media platforms remove unauthorized leaked content to maintain control over marketing. However, the videos have already spread widely across multiple platforms, making complete removal impossible.
When will the first official trailer be released?
No official trailer date has been announced, but industry observers predict a reveal around February 2026 to coincide with The Legend of Zelda’s 40th anniversary. This would provide 15 months of marketing before the May 2027 theatrical release.
How faithful to the games will the movie be?
Based on the leaked footage, the movie appears highly faithful to the source material with accurate costumes, recognizable designs, and attention to small details like Triforce symbols. Nintendo’s heavy involvement suggests they’re ensuring the adaptation respects the franchise’s legacy.
Conclusion
These additional set leaks from the Legend of Zelda movie production provide increasingly clear evidence that Nintendo and Sony Pictures are creating an adaptation that honors the beloved game franchise. The detailed costumes, Triforce-adorned horse saddles, and scenes suggesting Zelda will actively participate in the adventure all demonstrate careful attention to what makes these characters and this world special to millions of fans. While some mysteries remain like whether Link will speak or which specific game the plot adapts, the visual evidence confirms the filmmakers understand the assignment. Director Wes Ball’s decision to film in practical New Zealand locations rather than relying entirely on green screen suggests a grounded approach that could distinguish this from generic fantasy films. With production continuing through April 2026 and more leaks almost certainly inevitable, fans will get additional glimpses into the project before the first official trailer arrives. For now, these leaked videos and photos represent the most concrete proof yet that the May 7, 2027 release date can’t come soon enough for Zelda fans eager to see Link’s adventure on the big screen for the first time.