- Universal Pictures is reportedly working on bringing Nintendo’s beloved franchise, The Legend of Zelda, to the big screen following the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
- The upcoming live-action adaptation has generated excitement among fans, although details about the project’s format and studio involvement remain scarce.
- Adapting the fantasy world of Hyrule into a live-action movie presents a unique set of challenges, including the portrayal of the iconic, mostly silent protagonist, Link.
This year, video game adaptations such as The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Grand Turismode are making their theatrical debuts. Nintendo might soon want to bring another of its well-liked IPs to the big screen.
A recent rumor claims that Universal Pictures is already in the process of releasing The Legend of Zelda in theaters. Reliable Hollywood insider MyTimeToShineHello on X provided the information. The insider is highly renowned for their precise disclosures on Marvel and DC comic book movies.
It’s not surprising that Universal and Nintendo are working together, considering The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s box office success. The animated version starring Chris Pratt is the second-highest grossing movie of the year, having taken in over $1.36 billion during its initial theatrical run.
Universal developing a live action Legend of Zelda movie pic.twitter.com/BfSDzF4fiA
MyTimeToShineHello (@MyTimeToShineH) September 10, 2023
Other than the partnership between Universal and Nintendo, MyTimeToShineHello offered no further details about the project. This has given rise to rumors regarding the next film’s format. While some fans envision a live-action film adaptation of the well-liked video game franchise, others think it will be a longer-running TV show on streaming services. Furthermore, we are unsure about the storyline that the next project will employ.
The decision to go with a live-action adaptation is intriguing and presents a number of difficulties considering The Legend of Zelda’s fantastical world. It would have been simpler to recreate the vivid and beautiful world of Hyrule if the film had been an animated version. Choosing a live-action movie implies that Nintendo might be working with a separate studio to direct the project instead of Illumination.
The casting of Link is one of the most difficult tasks in a live-action Zelda adaptation. One of the most recognizable silent characters in video games is the protagonist, and fans are curious as to whether Link will talk in the film version. Throughout the game series, Link says very little, but in the live-action version, it will be crucial.
Taking into account the quantity of games in the franchise, the prospect of a Zelda film series seems intriguing. Although adapting the game into a successful film will be difficult, longtime fans are excited about the possibility of seeing Zelda on a large screen. We anticipate that the collaboration between Universal and Nintendo will produce high-caliber material deserving of the best-selling franchise, considering the triumph of The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
The live-action version of The Legend of Zelda does not yet have a release date. At this stage, we estimate that the project will be a few years away.