It’s now been a few days since Miyamoto announced the casting of Link and Zelda in the upcoming live-action film based off one of Nintendo’s most prized franchise, The Legend of Zelda. The series hero Link will be played by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, whereas the titular Zelda will be played by Bo Bragason. With the project in full swing, the next question is, who will play the notorious antagonist, Ganon?
For the diehard Zelda fans, there is some nuance between Ganon, the pig-beast entity, as well as the human iteration, Ganondorf. Given that Ganon is the more ubiquitous form that wields the Triforce of Power in franchise history, whereas Ganondorf has only appeared in a few Zelda titles, I will reference the main antagonist as Ganon for the remainder of the article.
If Nintendo leans toward a more original story, like the 1986 Zelda game, there is a possibility that we may only see Ganon in pig-beast form; however, it is still possible that there is a human/humanoid character that will personify Ganon for part of the movie.
The first question I asked myself about who will play as Ganon is whether or not the actor should be a major star. Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Bo Bragason, while established actors, are still smaller in name compared to the likes of Tom Holland, or heaven forbid, Chris Pratt (remember that reaction?). Ben Ainsworth is currently 16 years old whose career includes voicing Pinocchio in the live-action film in 2022 and made appearances in a few television shows such as The Sandman and Son of a Critch. Bo has a similar short list including several shows such as King and Conqueror, The Jetty, and Renegade Nell as well as a few movie roles like Clara in The Radleys. This observation is not a negative one in my eyes. In fact, I personally hoped the main characters would be played by fresh talent, ones that haven’t been pigeonholed into other roles that could influence how they are perceived in this Legend of Zelda movie. With that said, I think the actor portraying Ganon could either have a similar history but also could have that little extra star power.
A handful of actors that came to my mind include Jason Momoa, Oscar Isaac, Idris Elba, and Jefferey Dean Morgan. Ganon is a character that should be older in age with a rough exterior. As the holder of the Triforce of Power, a large stature almost feels like a requirement and all three can easily fit the mold.
For example, Morgan is seasoned and has played in supernatural/fantasy settings and yet not too big where he wouldn’t be taken seriously. He has a deep, gruff voice, and has been known to captivate the audience.
Oscar Issac has been around a while but has grown in popularity with the Star Wars and Dune franchise. He already has experience in a “supernatural” setting as well, and he also retains that older, gruff demeanor when needed.
Jason Momoa may be a stretch, especially since I can’t get his role in Minecraft out of my head. However, he too, has been in fantastical roles such as Aquaman, and he certainly has the physique of the King of Thieves.
Idris Elba is a personal favorite of mine. He is a versatile actor and has had a role in a video game– Cyberpunk 2077, in the Phantom Liberty expansion. That baritone voice, stoic features, and larger-than-life energy could easily fill the shoes of Ganon.
Should the actor portraying Ganon (Ganondorf, or other iteration of the antagonist) in the upcoming Legend of Zelda movie be a massive star? Who do you think would complement Bo and Benjamin? Please share your thoughts with us on our Boss Rush Facebook Group or our Boss Rush Discord.
Pow Block Podcast – A Nintendo Podcast by Boss Rush
Nintendo Pow Block is the weekly Nintendo Podcast for Boss Rush Media and The Boss Rush Network. Each week, Edward Varnell and Corey Dirrig, as well as their friends from around the internet dive into the week that was in the world of Nintendo, including news, rumors, new games, discuss weekly pickups, and fan favorite segments like Question Block where they answer community questions, what they’ve been playing in Playing with Power, and their latest food quests in Snacktendo! New episodes every Monday on YouTube and podcast services.
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