Sam Neill has joined the cast of the live-action Legend of Zelda movie, in a role that has not been disclosed. The casting is likely to be his final screen appearance, following his death earlier this year, and news of the Sam Neill Zelda movie role arrived alongside three more additions to the film, including the actor cast as the villain Ganondorf.
Uli Latukefu will play Ganondorf, according to Deadline and other outlets that broke the story. Latukefu is known for playing a young version of Dwayne Johnson in the HBO series Young Rock, and has also appeared in Marco Polo and Black Adam. He has reportedly signed a multi-picture deal, meaning he would return as Ganondorf if the studio moves forward with sequels.
Two more actors join the Zelda movie cast
Dichen Lachman, who plays Ms Casey in Apple TV+’s Severance, has been cast as Impa, Zelda’s guardian and mentor. She has also appeared in Westworld and Altered Carbon. Yvonne Strahovski, known for The Handmaid’s Tale and Chuck, will play a character described only as “a queen.” Neither actor’s screen time nor plot involvement has been detailed publicly, and it is unclear whether the queen role connects to Hyrule’s royal family.
Neill’s casting stands apart from the rest. His role remains unknown, but production wrapped in April, meaning he filmed his scenes before his death. His career spanned five decades and included Jurassic Park, Peaky Blinders, The Hunt for Red October, The Final Conflict and Event Horizon. He built his reputation in New Zealand and Australian cinema before breaking through internationally, and continued working steadily in film and television through the 2020s.
Cast builds around Link and Zelda
The four new names join a cast that already includes Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link and Bo Bragason as Zelda, both revealed in official images released last year. Wes Ball, director of the Maze Runner trilogy and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, is directing the film. Cinematographer Gyula Pados, who shot Ball’s previous projects, worked on the production, and previously shared early look images of Ainsworth as Link once filming wrapped.
Nintendo announced the adaptation in November 2023, with Sony Pictures co-financing and handling worldwide distribution through Columbia Pictures, alongside producers Arad Productions and OddBall Entertainment. Filming ran from November 2025 to April 2026 in New Zealand, and Sony confirmed the wrap at CinemaCon earlier this year. It is Nintendo’s second major film adaptation after the animated Super Mario Bros. Movie, and its first live-action production based on one of its franchises.
The Legend of Zelda is scheduled for release on April 30, 2027. Nintendo has not issued its own statement on the new casting, and neither the studio nor the actors’ representatives have confirmed which character Neill plays.