The Legend of Zelda Movie Casts Ganondorf and Impa; Who Will the Late Sam Neill Play?
The Legend of Zelda has already finished filming, but the general public knows very little about who’s in the upcoming live-action movie. Fans have long known that Benjamin Evan Ainsworth is playing Link, and Bo Bragason is portraying Princess Zelda.
Other than that, it’s been all leaks, rumors, and fan theories. Well, the cast officially got a little bigger this week, with the reveal of Ganondorf, Impa, and the movie, which is set for a 2027 release, was also revealed to be the last performance from Sam Neill, who died in July 2026.
The Legend of Zelda reveals Ganondorf, Impa actors
Photo via IMDb
Deadline reported on Thursday that Nintendo and Sony had given the prominent role of Ganondorf in The Legend of Zelda to Australian actor Uli Latukefu. The 43-year-old actor is currently best known for portraying younger versions of Dwayne Johnson in both Black Adam and Young Rock.
The sources indicated that Latukefu has signed a multi-film contract. This is unsurprising, as Sony and Nintendo expect this to launch a film franchise, and Ganondorf is one of the most frequent recurring characters in the video game series.
Additionally, it was revealed that Dichen Lachman, of Severance fame, would be portraying Impa. She is one of the closest advisors to Princess Zelda. Lachman was one actor who was previously leaked as part of the cast, with many correctly speculating that she’d take on the role of Impa.
Reportedly, the late Sam Neill, who passed away in July, will be playing an unknown character for his final film role. Yvonne Strahovsky of The Handmaid’s Tale is also officially part of the cast, but her character remains unknown as well.
Who could Sam Neill be playing?
The internet is rife with debate over who Sam Neill might be playing. It’s impossible to say now, but we can make a few educated guesses as to who the Jurassic Park star might be bringing to life. The first option is King Rhoam, Zelda’s father.
He may be too old to realistically be a father to a teenage princess, as Bo Bragason is only 22 and is playing a young version of the princess. He could also be King Rauru of the Zonai, because the character is ancient in Tears of the Kingdom.
It’s also possible that his role is a minor cameo. In this case, he might be the old man in the cave who provides Link with his first sword in the original game. “It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this,” the character says. That line has become iconic and would fit in any Nintendo-inspired Zelda movie, though we may get more hints once an official trailer is released.
What else does this reveal?
We only know that Impa and Ganondorf are The Legend of Zelda characters in the movie with Link and Zelda. Therefore, it’s hard to get a read on what game this is taking inspiration from. Director Wes Ball has said it’s not necessarily adapting one game, but there could be elements taken from a few.
Impa is the key here. She is present in:
- The Legend of Zelda
- Zelda II: Adventures of Link
- Ocarina of Time
- Oracle of Seasons/Ages
- Skyward Sword
- A Link Between Worlds
- Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom
Based on the cast, it is likely that one or multiple of these games will be a major adaptation point for the movie. Directed by Wes Ball, the Legend of Zelda is scheduled for release on April 30, 2027.
Feature image credit: Nintendo
Zachary Roberts
Zachary Roberts is an avid gamer and writer that loves to merge those things. He’s been featured on VideoGamer, ComicBook, New Leaf, Esports.net, and Sportskeeda as well as the On SI network of Sports Illustrated and Sporting News.
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