Summary
The highly-anticipated movie adaptation ofThe Legend of Zeldacould be a promising film to break the infamous “video game curse.” Referring to Hollywood’s historic difficulty in adapting video games compared to books or other movies,the video game curse has affected countless numbers of iconic video game franchises, fromtheResident EvilfilmstoThe Prince of Persia.But the upcomingThe Legend of Zeldamovie could have what it takes to shake free from the curse of poorly thought-out video game adaptations.
Granted, video game adaptations are in a much better spot today than they’ve ever been. Yet unflattering projects like the most recenttrailer for theBorderlandsmovieprove that the art of cinematic video game adaptation is still very hit-or-miss in the hands of Hollywood.That being said, it seems very likely thatThe Legend of Zeldacould be the latest in a string of successful video game movies.
10The Legend Of Zelda Has Plenty Of Source Material To Draw From
The film’s producers will have no shortage of inspiration
Almost synonymous with the medium of video games themselves,The Legend of Zeldahas no shortage of source material for filmmakers to craft an engaging story from. With an incredible 29 games to choose from for inspiration,the series offers so many different fantastical worlds, characters, and magical concepts that it’s hard to believe Link has never made it to the big screen before. The other inherent benefitThe Legend of Zeldahas over other game series is the sheer variety it offers.
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Nearly everyThe Legend of Zeldagame takes place in a completely different world from the last,with universal constants like Link, Ganondorf, and the Princess Zelda being different incarnations of the same character across multiple timelines and universes. The connective tissue of lore linking them all together may be somewhat confusing, but it results in endless freedom for filmmakers adapting the series. Fans ofThe Legend of Zeldamight be more approachable for a new story compared to other franchises, considering they’re used to fresh concepts.
9More Video Game Adaptations Are Breaking The Curse
Video game movies aren’t the death sentence they once were
For as much talk as the supposed video game curse might still have, the idea of it may soon be a concept of the past. As video games have become more popular and respected as a genuine art form, filmmakers have been more faithful and generous with their adaptations of source material.This has resulted in utter masterpieces in series likeThe Last of UsandArcane,both of which have their roots in popular video games.
But TV shows aren’t the only ones beginning to break the video game curse. Movies likeThe Super Mario Bros. Moviebroke box office recordswith its instantly iconic characters, andtraditional competitor Sonic the Hedgehog hasn’t been too far behind with his own cinematic endeavors. As a fellow Nintendo property, it’s safe to say thatThe Legend of Zeldamovie has a bright future ahead of it.
8The Legend Of Zelda Has Cross-Generational Appeal
The film could be poised to be a true four-quadrant movie
Video games might still not have the same widespread appeal as movies or TV shows. But for a particular game series,The Legend of Zeldahas some of the most widespread appeal of any title. With the originalThe Legend of Zeldabeing released all the way back in 1987 on the Nintendo Entertainment System,few video games can claim as hallowed a lineage as the tales of Link’s herosim across the ages.
The Legend of Zeldawill appeal to both retro gamers with fond memories of the first top-down versions of the series and younger audiences who got their love for the series withThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildandThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomon the Nintendo Switch. With a presence on every Nintendo console spanning the eras since its inception, the franchise is well-known by a multitude of age ranges. This could prove to form a powerful audience interested in the movie adaptation.
7Nintendo Is Very Careful With Their IP
The revered family-friendly game company doesn’t let just anyone handle their properties
Of all the video game companies, Nintendo might be one of the most careful to lend out their intellectual property to other creatives. It’s for good reason that this is the case, afterthe disastrous live-actionSuper Mario Bros.movieof the 90s besmirched the company with an unsightly stain on their reputation.Since being burned, it’s taken Nintendo a long time to even come around to the idea of allowing others to make movies using their characters' likenesses ever again.
For instance, in Disney’sWreck-It Ralph, which had Mario villain Bowser make a brief appearance as a wordless cameo,Nintendo execs went to great lengths to ensure he was represented accurately, even telling the film’s animators how Bowser would hold his drink in a particular way. It’s this level of detail that ensured the most recent Mario adaptation was such a roaring success. It’s safe to say that Nintendo wouldn’t lend outThe Legend of Zeldato a film without ensuring it does the series justice.
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6The Legend Of Zelda Is A Classic Fantasy Series
The appeal of fantasy shouldn’t be underrated
The Legend of Zeldais as classic a fantasy series as one can get. Featuring swords, elf-like Hylians, dragons, evil magicians, monsters, and much, much more,The Legend of Zeldaembodies the tropes of the genre while still taking the time to impart its own unique twists on typical fantasy style. The appeal of this kind of world isn’t something that box office projectionists should take lightly when consideringThe Legend of Zelda’s movie success.
Fantasy has historically been one of the most popular genres in the video game medium, and has steadily become more widely accepted in the film industry, as well.While shows likeHouse of the Dragonstill dominate streaming, it’s been a long time since a fantasy IP has truly dominated the box office.The Legend of Zeldacould provide the pleasant medieval fantasy elements sorely absent from the modern-age’s movie theater marquees since the end of theThe Hobbittrilogy.
5Link Could Be The First Silent Video Game Movie Protagonist
The potential of Link is one of the most exciting parts of the upcoming film
One unique aspect many video games have that other mediums rarely engage in is the use of a silent protagonist. Allowing the player to better project themselves into the story for an immersive experience,many video games utilize protagonists that, while they may have personality, never speak a word.The Legend of Zelda’s Link is one such protagonist, never speaking beyond a few grunts and battle cries while fighting monsters.
While Link does technically speak in silent text boxes across several games, his lack of a voice could make casting him in a speaking role a jarring error.The Legend of Zeldahas the opportunity to be the first video game adaptation to do a silent protagonist justice.Five Nights at Freddy’scastmost recently had the opportunity to do so, but ended up making the wordless, faceless security guard Mike into an obsessive, tortured lucid dreamer.
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4The Writer Has Done Video Game Adaptations Before
A video game adaptation is only as good as its writer
Regardless of how great the performances, visuals, and worldbuilding ofThe Legend of Zeldamight be, without a solid script, the project would be doomed from the start, a castle without a foundation.The writer ofThe Legend of Zeldais listed, at the time of writing, asDerek Connolly on IMDb.Connolly is most well-known for his work on high-profile franchise films, includingJurassic World: Dominion, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,and the infamousStar Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker.
If there’s one thing Connolly has proven, it’s that he knows how to intertwine a story within the wonderful world of a Nintendo game series
While these divisive titles might be cause for alarm, Derek Connolly has demonstrated a solid ability to adapt video games.His work onPokemon: Detective Pikachuharnessed the selling-power of a different Nintendo franchise to pleasing, if not overwhelmingly positive, results. If there’s one thing Connolly has proven, it’s that he knows how to intertwine a story within the wonderful world of a Nintendo game series.
3Wes Ball’s Most Recent Film Was A Promising Sneak Peek
The Legend of Zelda’s director has already given a preview of what the movie might look like
Until recently,The Legend of Zeldadirector Wes Ball was most well-known for his work on theMaze Runnermovies, aHunger Games-analogous trilogy that failed to capture the apex of the hype of the young adult dystopia craze.This might not be a promising showing forThe Legend of Zelda, but Ball’s most recent film,Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, provides a far more interesting look at what he might be able to do with aZeldamovie.
Following up Matt Reeves' critically-acclaimedPlanet of the Apesmovies was no easy task, butKingdom of the Planet of the Apesdominated streamingafter its decent theatrical run. Featuring non-human characters and breathtaking fantasy landscapes filled with plant life, ancient ruins, and dastardly villains,Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesis a weirdly perfect demo for what Ball could do withThe Legend of Zelda.If the final product is even half as good, the film will prove to be a success.
2The Legend Of Zelda Will Have A Studio Ghibli Aesthetic
The perfect storm of cozy fantasy escapism
The Legend of Zeldaisn’t unlike the best works of the famed Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli. Both series feature cozy,wind-swept fantasy worlds with humble citizens and ominous vestiges of danger hinting at something sinister beneath the surface. Considering the originalThe Legend of Zeldawas based on co-creator Shigeru Miyamoto’s childhood exploring the natural areas and caves around his home, the joining of the two seems like a perfect fit.
It’ll be exciting to see the ideas of Studio Ghibli represented in live-action for the first time in general.
Director Wes Ball understands the power of linkingThe Legend of Zeldawith Studio Ghibli, and has stated he aims to replicate the latter’s style in his visual execution of the story.The calm, more laid-back tone of most Studio Ghibli stories will be an excellent choice to representThe Legend of Zelda.It’ll be exciting to see the ideas of Studio Ghibli represented in live-action for the first time in general.
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1Wes Ball Personally Has Been Excited For The Legend Of Zelda For A Long Time
The video game adaptation will be a true passion project for the director
Considering how greatKingdom of the Planet of the Apeswas as aThe Legend of Zeldamovie proof-of-concept, it’s hard not to believe director Wes Ball didn’t intend for it to be just that. This theory has some legs when one considers justhow long Ball has been thinking about Zelda,first mentioning his desire to lead aThe Legend of Zeldamovie adaptation in a tweet written in 2010. For the last 14 years, the concept for the film has clearly spent a long time formulating in Ball’s head.
In his tweet, Wes Ball described his ambitions for aThe Legend of Zeldalive-action movie, comparing the motion capture performances it would need toAvatar.Once again,Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesproves itself as a premonition for Ball’s success withThe Legend of Zelda, featuring a cast made up of almost entirely motion-capture characters. Having been excited for the project so long, there’s no doubt that Wes Ball has the true passion necessary forThe Legend of Zeldato succeed.
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda franchise follows the adventures of Link, an elf-like Hylian, and Princess Zelda as they protect the land of Hyrule from the evil warlord-turned-demon king Ganon. The series is known for its mix of action, adventure, and puzzle-solving elements, often revolving around the collection of the Triforce, a powerful relic left by the goddesses who created Hyrule. Each game features different incarnations of Link and Zelda, maintaining core elements while introducing new characters and settings.
