Hunter Schafer is being rumored to play Princess Zelda in Nintendo and Sony’s live-action Zelda movie as casting speculation heats up.
A major casting rumor is sending shockwaves through the fandom of The Legend of Zelda. According to online scooper Daniel RPK, Hunter Schafer is reportedly being eyed to portray Princess Zelda in the upcoming live-action film adaptation of the beloved Nintendo franchise. While unconfirmed, the buzz surrounding Hunter Schafer’s potential involvement is already igniting passionate reactions across social media.
Hunter Schafer, a trans actor best known for her breakout role in Euphoria, as well as appearances in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and the upcoming Blade Runner 2099 series on Amazon, would bring both star power and a fresh take to the iconic role of Hyrule’s royal heroine.
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The timing of the rumor is especially notable, as Hunter Schafer recently made headlines for revealing that her new U.S. passport lists her gender as male, despite her identifying and selecting female on her application. She attributed the issue to new federal policy changes under the Trump administration that limit gender marker options to one’s sex assigned at birth.
The live-action Zelda film is officially in development, with Nintendo partnering with Sony Pictures to bring the long-running video game franchise to the big screen. While no official casting or release date has been announced, the project already has a heavyweight producer attached—Avi Arad, known for blockbuster hits like Spider-Man and Uncharted.
Speculation about casting has run rampant, especially when it comes to the role of Link. While some fans have thrown around names like Tom Holland, the studios are said to be looking for a younger actor—reportedly a “Walker Scobell type,” referencing the rising star of The Adam Project and Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
The rumor surrounding Hunter Schafer adds a new dimension to an already highly anticipated project, promising not just a visually stunning journey through Hyrule, but potentially a progressive and contemporary approach to its casting.
In the meantime, Nintendo is also keeping busy with a rumored sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie, speculated to be titled Super Mario World, proving the company is all in on building its cinematic universe.
