‘The Legend of Zelda’ Movie Finally Reveals Its Ganondorf and Fans Are Losing It
Wes Ball’s live-action take on ‘The Legend of Zelda’ has been one of the most tightly guarded productions in recent memory. Ever since the project was announced by Sony and Nintendo, details about the cast and story have trickled out at a painfully slow pace, leaving fans to speculate for months on end.
For a while, the only confirmed names attached to the film were Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Bo Bragason, who were announced as Link and Princess Zelda in July 2025. That left one of gaming’s most legendary villains conspicuously unaccounted for, and the silence only made the eventual reveal feel bigger.
That silence broke this week when entertainment fan account The Hollywood Handle shared the news that Uli Latukefu had landed the role, citing New York Times reporter Kyle Buchanan as the original source. The casting was quickly confirmed to Deadline, with the outlet reporting that Latukefu will step into the role of Ganondorf, the franchise’s central antagonist and the human form of the monstrous Ganon.
Latukefu is far from a total unknown, even if this role will introduce him to a much wider audience. He is best recognized for playing an older teenage and young adult version of Dwayne Johnson in the NBC sitcom Young Rock, and his film resume includes Alien Covenant, Black Adam, and MaXXXine. At six foot five, he fits the towering, imposing frame that fans have long imagined for the Gerudo warlord.
Perhaps the most intriguing detail buried in the reporting is that Latukefu appears to have signed a multi-picture deal for ‘The Legend of Zelda’, fueling speculation that Ball and Sony are already planning beyond a single film. Given the franchise’s sprawling mythology, a trilogy would hardly be surprising if this first installment performs the way Nintendo’s recent movie adaptations have.
Do you think they hit the park with this casting?
Latukefu’s casting wasn’t the only news to break alongside it. Additional reporting revealed that Dichen Lachman will play Impa, with Yvonne Strahovski also joining the cast, alongside a poignant final on screen appearance from the late Sam Neill. Behind the camera, Ball directs from a screenplay by T.S. Nowlin, his longtime collaborator on the Maze Runner films.
The production has already wrapped, with filming running from November 2025 through April 2026 ahead of an April 30, 2027 release. Reports suggest the first trailer could arrive around the holiday season, meaning audiences may not have to wait much longer for their first real look at Latukefu in character.
With Link, Zelda, and now Ganondorf finally locked in, ‘The Legend of Zelda’ movie is starting to feel real for longtime fans of the games. Do you think Uli Latukefu has the presence to bring Ganondorf’s menace to life on the big screen?
