So a few days ago, Nintendo announced a The Legend of Zelda live-action movie. I was kinda surprised and disappointed that it will be a Live-Action Movie. But thinking about it, there wasn’t really another option for Nintendo.
I hoped for a Zelda movie for a long time. Basically, since I played Ocarina of Time (OoT) and Breathe of the Wild (BotW). But I always thought this to be an animation. And animation can function really well, I mean the animation series of Zelda by Major link on YouTube is just awesome. However, we are getting a live-action movie. And I understand that Anime is not as well received in the US and Europe as live-action.
And especially for a bit darker Animes, which Zelda would have needed to be.
Disclaimer: I am not really qualified to write it whatsoever, but I am a Zelda Fan and I have some opinions on this one, which can be complete BS. So as always, if you disagree I really welcome a constructive discussion.
So yeah. Letsa go.
I see two major problems or topics that need to be handled carefully:
Casting: For Link and Zelda, my hope leans towards casting lesser-known actors, avoiding the overshadowing presence of familiar faces. The internet is ablaze with concerns about Tom Holland potentially playing Link. Count me among the concerned. I sincerely hope Nintendo would not do this to Zelda-fans and as long as the actor can portray Link well I am fine, with however they take. Though it probably will be hard to getting used to Link with a voice, because in the movie Link shouldn’t talk super much, but they won’t let Link be quiet for the whole movie. And I don’t think they should. Link did “talk” more in BotW and TotK, we just don’t hear it. But we can choose what to say and more than yes, no and mistakenly “no” to an owl.
Casting would be easier if we just need to get used to a voice and not also a new face. Also, I read Denny DeVito would be a good match for Tingle, but I am honest, that I really do not have much of an opinion on that. And I am also sceptical how well Tingle would translate to the big screen. I envision something a bit more dark and serious, but I could be completely wrong about this. Seeing Tingle in theatres could be a lot of fun.
Preserving the Essence:
One of my main concerns is the risk of losing the heart of Zelda—the gameplay. The games’ central focus on gameplay elements. The first game was basically just one paragraph of text and then just gameplay and then basically no story. This poses a challenge when translating it into a linear narrative for the big screen. While gameplay took centre stage in the games, the movie’s success hinges on nailing the look and atmosphere. A delicate balancing act awaits.
But we don’t love Zelda because of the gameplay, but the world we can explore. Now we see another person explore this beloved world. The movie needs to capture this feeling, and it will be harder to do so in live-action.
In navigating the narrative, two options are likely:
Adaptation of Familiar Games: Beginning with an adaptation seems tempting, and Skyward Sword could be a fitting starting point. Despite its repetitive nature, the linear story and character development could translate well to the big screen.
The challenge of a Skyward Sword movie lies in turning the monotony into a captivating visual experience, enhancing the story rather than hindering it. A crucial aspect that needs to be considered it that you need a new Link and Zelda for the next incarnation. This can feel weird and also the fanbase for Skyward Sword is not that big. So the next option might be a bit more realistic.
Forging New Legends: Starting from scratch offers the chance to explore untold stories in the vast Zelda universe. However, aligning with the established timeline might prove challenging. So I bet that they will put it in either a new timeline or just say: “it’s not the game timeline. live with it!”. I hope they do it better than HALO did.
I do like the story of Skyward Sword, but I think you can do a much better movie with a good new zelda story. And at this point with TotK and BotW more or less completely ignoring the timeline, fans will survive a new story for the movies, as long as they respect the source material.
As a fan, my hopes are high. I do trust Shigeru Miyamoto’s vision, and I believe the Zelda team has dedicated ample time to avoid rushing the project. Here’s to hoping that the result is a cinematic journey worthy of the Legend of Zelda legacy. Nintendo and Illumination did do a good job on “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” so this gives me faith. Regarding Wes Ball, the director: I didn’t see his Maze Runner movies. But he has his first real not Maze Runner debut with “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” soon. I might be tempted to watch the movie just to see who he is doing. And I probably am going to watch the Maze Runner. Thanks Nintendo! Even less freetime. I can’t say much about Avi Arad, the producer. He was co-responsible for some good superhero movies like the Spider-Verse movies. But he also did Mobius and Uncharted. So… IDK
Anyways, let the countdown to Hyrule on the big screen begin!
