Nintendo Confirms Development of Live-Action “The Legend of Zelda” Movie

Nintendo Confirms Development of Live-Action “The Legend of Zelda” Movie

After years of rumors and speculation, Nintendo has officially confirmed that “The Legend of Zelda” is making its way to the big screen in a live-action adaptation. This exciting news marks another significant step in Nintendo’s strategy to expand into theme parks and the movie industry. Co-produced by Nintendo and Avi Arad, known for his involvement in the Spider-Man spin-off films, this live-action adaptation will explore the enchanting realm of Hyrule.

Wes Ball, best recognized for directing the Maze Runner trilogy, is set to helm the project. However, it’s worth noting that the choice of director has sparked some mixed reactions among fans of the beloved Zelda franchise. Shigeru Miyamoto, the creative genius behind The Legend of Zelda, is deeply involved in the production as a producer, much like his role in “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.”

Miyamoto expressed his enthusiasm for the project in a tweet: “This is Miyamoto. I have been working on the live-action film of The Legend of Zelda for many years now with Avi Arad-san, who has produced many mega-hit films. It will take time until its completion, but I hope you look forward to seeing it.”

Nintendo has been steadily expanding its reach into various forms of entertainment, including theme parks and movies. Their recent collaboration with Illumination on “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” was a massive success, grossing $1.36 billion and becoming one of the top-grossing films of the year. This achievement is particularly notable as it faced initial backlash from fans due to casting choices, such as Chris Pratt as Mario.

For “The Legend of Zelda” live-action adaptation, Nintendo has partnered with Sony Pictures Entertainment, with Nintendo contributing over 50 percent of the film’s financing. While there is no official logline for the movie yet, fans can anticipate a storyline revolving around Link, the young warrior, embarking on a perilous journey to save the kingdom of Hyrule and its princess, Zelda, by vanquishing the evil King Ganon.

The Legend of Zelda game series, spanning decades, is renowned for its legacy dungeons, intricate puzzles, and engaging narratives. Recent entries in the series have ventured into open-world gameplay, allowing players to explore the vast realm of Hyrule at their own pace. Games like “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” and its expansion “Tears of the Kingdom” have received critical acclaim as some of the finest video games ever created.

Wes Ball, the director entrusted with bringing this beloved franchise to life, is also slated to direct “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” set to release on May 24, 2024. This upcoming film follows the journey of a feral young woman and an ape named Cornelius in their quest for freedom from the rule of chimpanzee king Proximus Caesar.

While some fans had hoped for an animated adaptation of “The Legend of Zelda,” the decision to produce a live-action movie is an exciting development for Wes Ball, who had expressed interest in a Zelda film back in 2010. At the time, he even envisioned it as a motion-capture (mocap) project, drawing inspiration from James Cameron’s “Avatar.” It’s worth noting that in 2015, Netflix also explored the possibility of creating an animated series based on Zelda, although the project never came to fruition.

As of now, the live-action “The Legend of Zelda” movie does not have a confirmed release date, leaving fans eagerly anticipating further updates.

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