Sam Neill Was Reportedly Cast in The Legend of Zelda Before His Death, With Dichen Lachman and Yvonne Strahovski Also Joining

Sam Neill completed the undisclosed role before his death

Sam Neill filmed his part in The Legend of Zelda before his death on July 13, 2026, at the age of 78, according to Deadline’s casting report. The production wrapped in April, although Neill’s character has not been identified.

Deadline describes the film as one of Neill’s final screen performances, if not his last. It said representatives for Sony and Neill’s former representatives could not be reached for comment, so the casting remains based on the publication’s sources rather than a public announcement from the companies involved.

Neill also left behind performances in the upcoming romantic comedy The Last Resort and Godzilla x Kong: Supernova. His appearance in Zelda will carry particular significance for audiences following his death, even as the identity and scope of his role remain closely guarded.

Dichen Lachman is reportedly playing Impa

Dichen Lachman is reportedly playing Impa, Princess Zelda’s bodyguard and adviser, in the live-action film. Yvonne Strahovski has also joined the cast, although Deadline’s sources were less certain about her role and believed she was playing a queen character.

Lachman is known for playing Ms Casey in Severance, while Strahovski played Serena Joy Waterford in The Handmaid’s Tale. They join Bo Bragason as Princess Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link, the two leads previously announced for the adaptation.

Uli Latukefu was separately reported as Ganondorf on the same day. The film’s plot remains under wraps, leaving the character assignments as the clearest indication yet of how its version of Hyrule is being assembled. Beyond Impa, however, the latest report leaves several roles deliberately unnamed.

The film is scheduled for theatrical release on May 7, 2027

The Legend of Zelda is scheduled to reach cinemas on May 7, 2027. Sony is set to distribute and co-finance the film with Nintendo, with Wes Ball directing.

Shigeru Miyamoto and Avi Arad are producing, and T.S. Nowlin wrote the most recent draft of the script. The adaptation draws on Nintendo’s long-running Zelda franchise, created by Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka, which has sold more than 150 million units since launching in 1986.

The newly reported casting expands the film around its established Link and Zelda, but Neill’s involvement gives the update a more solemn significance. Until his character is revealed, the confirmed detail is that he completed the performance before the production wrapped.