Sam Neill filmed a secret role in the Legend of Zelda movie before he died
Deadline reports the late Sam Neill filmed an undisclosed role in Sony and Nintendo’s live-action Legend of Zelda before his July 13 death. He finished the work before filming wrapped in April.
Sam Neill, the Jurassic Park star who died in July, filmed a role in the live-action Legend of Zelda movie before his death.
Deadline reported the casting on August 6. Neill’s role hasn’t been disclosed, and he completed his work before principal photography wrapped in April, months before he passed.
Neill died July 13 in Sydney at 78, from pneumonia, after a long fight with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
What we know about Sam Neill’s Zelda role
Almost nothing, and that’s by design. The film’s casting has been tightly guarded.
Deadline reports only that Neill is in the movie in an unspecified part. Sony and Neill’s former representatives couldn’t be reached for comment, per the outlet. No character name, no scene details.
Outlets have speculated he could play the King of Hyrule, in part because his casting was revealed alongside Yvonne Strahovski, who is reportedly playing a queen. That’s an educated guess, not confirmation. Given the film’s habit of casting lesser-known actors in the big roles, a supporting or voice part would fit.
The rest of the Legend of Zelda cast
The Neill news came in a larger casting drop.
Benjamin Evan Ainsworth plays Link and Bo Bragason plays Princess Zelda, both announced last year. Newly reported: Uli Latukefu as the villain Ganondorf, Dichen Lachman of Severance as Impa, and Strahovski of The Handmaid’s Tale in the queen role.
Wes Ball, who directed Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, is helming it. Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto and Avi Arad are producing. Sony first announced the project in fall 2023.
The film is scheduled for theaters on May 7, 2027.
One of Sam Neill’s final performances
Zelda is one of at least three posthumous Neill appearances still to come.
He also has a supporting role in Godzilla x Kong: Supernova, out March 2027, and a romantic comedy called The Last Resort with Daisy Ridley and Alden Ehrenreich. Depending on release order, Zelda could end up being the final film role of his career.
Neill worked steadily to the end, filming four projects back to back over his last year. Beyond Jurassic Park, he was known for Event Horizon, Possession, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and cameos in the Thor films.
His role in Hyrule stays a mystery for now. Whatever it is, it’s part of the last work of a fifty-year career.
Article compiled and edited by Derek Gibbs (entertainment editor) and the Clownfish TV newsroom.
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Hat Tips:
Deadline (August 6, 2026), verified for Sam Neill’s undisclosed Legend of Zelda role, the film wrapping in April, the newly reported casting of Latukefu, Lachman, and Strahovski, the guarded casting process, and the Sony/Nintendo/Ball/Miyamoto/Arad production details
GameSpot (August 6, 2026), verified for Neill filming before his death, the April wrap, his July death at 78 from pneumonia, the non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma history, and the three posthumous appearances
SlashFilm (August 6, 2026), verified for the role remaining unknown, the King of Hyrule speculation, and the film’s focus on lesser-known leads
World of Reel (August 6, 2026), verified for the May 7, 2027 release date and Neill’s four back-to-back final projects including The Last Resort and Godzilla x Kong: Supernova