Following the immense success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, it seems as though Nintendo may be looking to bring its next biggest franchise to the big screen for the first time in the form of a Zelda movie. While no official announcements have been made at this time, it would make sense that Nintendo’s film division would handle more than just the Super Mario franchise and seek to branch out a bit to the company’s many other beloved IPs.
Related: Zelda Continues to be Crown Jewel as it Drives Huge Sales for Nintendo
Leaker My Time to Shine Hello, who has made a name for themself with many past leaks, particularly in regards to Marvel and DC films, has stated on Twitter that Universal Studios and Nintendo plan to team up once again, but this time for a live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda.
Zelda on the Big Screen?
Despite the immense success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, it seems as though Illumination may not be the studio to take the reigns of the popular Legend of Zelda IP since it has been said that it will be live-action rather than animated. Though the Mario film enjoyed tons of success and was well received by fans (as well as making over a billion dollars at the box office) it seems Nintendo may want a different team to handle the more serious and story-heavy fantasy series.
It makes sense that Nintendo’s recently formed film division would branch out to other franchises in Nintendo’s lineup, especially with how big the Mario movie made it. With Zelda being their next most popular IP, it is the logical next choice for adaption, especially as Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom both played major roles in the Switch’s sales numbers.
Whether Zelda gets adapted as a film or a television series, it seems inevitable that it will one day be adapted to non-interactive screens again. Though Mario saw a universally panned film in the early ’90s and Zelda saw an animated series quite some time ago, Nintendo has largely kept its franchises from film adaptations for quite some time, but it seems that is finally changing.
Likely the biggest question many Zelda fans may have about any adaption is whether or not Link will audibly speak. Though Link does speak somewhat regularly throughout the games, players are almost never privy to what he says directly, instead simply seeing the character gesturing with no text box. However, occasionally other characters quote things he has said to them, or players select dialogue responses. Still, he is held up as one of the most well-known silent protagonists.
Are you excited about the idea of a Zelda movie? Do you think it should be live-action or animated? What game do you believe should be adapted, or would you rather an original story? Tell us all of your thoughts in the comments and on our social media feeds!
Source: My Time to Shine Hello on Twitter
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