Green Tunic, Master Sword: Zelda Movie's Link Revealed

One image on a clapperboard, and the entire Zelda fandom finally has something concrete to argue about. Cinematographer Gyula Pados posted a photo to his Instagram page showing the film's clapperboard, which features concept art of Link standing beside the Triforce, dressed in his traditional green tunic and cap, holding the Master Sword with what appears to be the Hylian Shield on his back. The post has since been deleted, but not before it was captured and shared widely by Wario64 on Bluesky.

This is the detail that matters most: it's the green tunic, not the blue Champion's Tunic from Breath of the Wild. For a fanbase that's spent months speculating about whether the film would lean into the modern open-world aesthetic or the classic fantasy look, this is a pretty definitive answer, at least in terms of visual direction. The art leans closer to Twilight Princess than anything from the Switch era. I'm glad they went this route. The classic Link silhouette is iconic for a reason, and trying to chase the Breath of the Wild look would have risked making the whole thing feel like cosplay of one specific game rather than an adaptation of the broader series.

Umami and Other Details

The clapperboard also reveals the film's production codename: Umami. Using fake titles during shooting is standard practice in Hollywood, though one fan on X pointed out that the font used for the codename closely resembles the Breath of the Wild logo font. So even if the costume design skews classic, there may still be modern Zelda DNA woven into the production. The clapperboard credits Wes Ball as director and Pados as camera, confirming the pair are continuing their working relationship from the Maze Runner sequels.

Pados's involvement is a solid sign for the film's visual quality. His credits include Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and he shot both Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure for Ball. The man knows how to make large-scale fantasy environments look good on screen, which is exactly what a Zelda film needs.

Because this art was on the clapperboard used throughout the entire shoot, it was likely created early in pre-production, meaning it may not reflect the final look of Link as played by 17-year-old Benjamin Evan Ainsworth. The figure in the concept art doesn't resemble Ainsworth, so this is clearly illustrative rather than a direct representation of the actor in costume. Still, the design choices, green tunic, pointed cap, Master Sword, Hylian Shield, tell us where the creative team's heads are at.

Principal photography wrapped in New Zealand, where parts of the shoot reportedly took place in some of the same locations used for The Lord of the Rings. The film stars Ainsworth as Link and Bo Bragason as Zelda, with Shigeru Miyamoto and Avi Arad producing. Ball has previously said he wanted the movie to be "something serious and cool, but fun and whimsical," and cited Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki as an influence. Reports have also suggested the film could be the first entry in a planned trilogy, with major cast members signed for three films over six years.

The Legend of Zelda movie is set to hit theaters on May 7, 2027. With filming now complete, an official trailer is likely the next major reveal, and after months of near-total silence from Nintendo, this leaked clapperboard image has done more to shape fan expectations than anything the studio has put out intentionally.