Nintendo used its new app to announce the ‘Legend of Zelda’ movie release date

Nintendo announced on Friday that its live-action “The Legend of Zelda” movie will premiere on March 26, 2027.

It’s a little weird to announce this the day after a Nintendo Direct livestream, where the gaming company usually unloads all of its recent news. But that was intentional. The company wants fans to download its new app, Nintendo Today! — yes, that exclamation is their own doing — to learn the latest news.

During Thursday’s Nintendo Direct event, Nintendo game director Shigeru Miyamoto closed out the presentation by announcing the Nintendo Today! news app. Those who swiftly downloaded it were rewarded since Nintendo used this channel exclusively to announce the release date of its “Zelda” movie.

The app aims to deliver daily news about various Nintendo games, and users can customize the app to prioritize their favorite franchises.

Across the entertainment industry, there are so many new movies and TV shows based on existing IP that this reminder about the “Zelda” movie may fall flat.

For Nintendo, investing in existing IP has proven a financially sound strategy. Its “Super Mario Bros.” movie grossed $1.3 billion at the box office with a $100 million production budget, making it the 18th-highest grossing global release of all time.

While “Zelda” might not have quite the same universal recognition as “Mario,” keep in mind that the “Breath of the Wild” game sold more than 34 million copies, more than the Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal games.

As Nintendo prepares to unveil more information about its highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 system next week, perhaps we should keep a closer eye on the Nintendo Today! app for early details.