After finding success with The Super Mario Bros. movie, the notoriously reticent Nintendo is looking to be more open towards video game movies.
For years, Nintendo resisted any and all overtures from Hollywood after the colossal failure of the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie which starred Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo.
But things began to change when Nintendo rival Sega found success in 2020 with its Sonic the Hedgehog film. This led Nintendo to greenlight an animated Super Mario Bros. movie that was released in 2023 and went on to gross $1.362 billion worldwide from a production budget of $100 million.
Now, Nintendo is turning towards its second most famous mascot, The Legend of Zelda's Link.
A live-action Legend of Zelda movie was recently announced and Nintendo fans are salivating at the possibilities.
When describing his vision for the live-action Legend of Zelda movie, Maze Runner director Wes Ball stated, "this awesome fantasy-adventure movie that isn’t like Lord of the Rings, it’s its own thing. I've always said, I would love to see a live-action Miyazaki. That wonder and whimsy that he brings to things, I would love to see something like that."
Nintendo and Sony are co-producing the movie with Derek Connolly penning the script.
Ball went on to add, "It’s going to be awesome. My whole life has led up to this moment. I grew up on Zelda and it is the most important property, I think, that’s untapped IP, if you will. So we very much are working hard to do something. We’re not just trying to do it because we can. We want to make something really special."
However, the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes director cautioned that it's still very early in development and he uncertain if the Zelda movie will be his next film.
"We’re working on the script, and whether it’s the next one or not, it’s hard to say exactly,. But certainly the plan is, after Apes is done, to have a little bit of a rest for a moment, and then dive into [Zelda] and hopefully give fans what they’re hoping for, and also invite new people in. I think Nintendo's desire is to introduce people to this world that’s been around for 40 years now."
The Legend of Zelda is, at its heart, a narrative of good vs evil, light versus darkness, and having the courage to stand up for what is right. It's a timeless story of bravery, exploration, and the lasting impact of hope.
The gaming franchise typically follows Link, a youthful Hylian man selected by fate to save the realm of Hyrule from the wicked wizard, Ganon. Zelda is the princess of Hyrule, a clever and powerful young woman who possesses the Triforce of Wisdom, one of three powerful sacred relics.
The story's central conflict is the perpetual conflict between Link and Ganon for control of the Triforce. Ganon aims to exploit the Triforce's power to enslave Hyrule, whereas Link usually works alongside Zelda to safeguard the country and its people.