Image: The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo
That's right! The Japanese company Nintendo has announced the production of a live-action film based on their video game series "The Legend of Zelda" today. More information? Find it here!
If you already know and love the Zelda games, then this is just as big news for you as it is for us. There have been rumors about a "The Legend of Zelda" film before, as well as numerous fan projects, but a production for the big screen has not been granted to us until now. Now you will be able to follow Link's adventures not only on your game console but also in the cinema!
Collaboration With Sony Pictures
The production will be realized by Nintendo in collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment. It's already underway: Shigeru Miyamoto, developer and director at Nintendo, wrote on Twitter:
Avi-san refers to none other than Ari Arad, the well-known American film producer. He was CEO of Marvel Studios for a while and has already produced films like "Ghost in the Shell" and "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." Wes Ball, known for the Maze Runner trilogy, will direct the film.
In their official announcement, Nintendo also stated that the film will be co-financed by them and Sony Pictures Entertainment. Over fifty percent of the film will be financed by Nintendo.
Live-Action Instead Of Animation
After Nintendo's animated film "Super Mario Bros." was already a huge cinema success, many fans had hoped for more animated films based on Nintendo franchises. However, Zelda will now be the live-action version. Therefore, some fans may initially be disappointed. A Zelda series would have been a great concept as well. But the excitement is still palpable from all sides; after all, "The Legend of Zelda" is one of the most popular video game franchises in the world! The first installment was released in 1986, and just this year we got the sequel to the mega-hit "Breath of the Wild" with "Tears of the Kingdom." There are already 20 installments in total, plus spin-offs. The exact plot that the film will follow is not yet known, nor is a release date.
Casting will likely be a challenge for this project, especially since Link, the main character, does not speak in the game. But the live-action series adaptation of the popular anime "One Piece" also faced the casting challenge and received a lot of positive feedback for it. So anything is possible. In any case, there is a lot of anticipation until we can at least see a first trailer!
