According to an article in The Hollywood Reporter, Nintendo’s fantasy game “The Legend of Zelda” is heading to the silver screen. The movie project will be developed by Nintendo and Sony Pictures Entertainment.
The live action adaptation of the video game will be produced by Wes Ball, the director of the “Maze Runner ” trilogy and the upcoming “Planet of the Apes” film “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” which will open May 24, 2024. His co-producer for the film is Shigeru Miyamoto, the game designer behind “The Legend of Zelda” video game.
Sjguero took to Nintendo’s X account, formerly Twitter,” and tweeted that his “Legend of Zelda” project has been in the works “for many years now with Avi Arad-san (sic).” He also tweeted that Nintnedo is “heavily involved in the production” and that “it will take time until its completion.”
Developed by Nintendo on Feb. 21, 1986, “The Legend of Zelda” is a video game series that centers around a young boy named Link who is on a journey to save the land of Hyrule and also rescuing or protecting Hyrule’s ruler, Princess Zelda, with whom he forms a special bond. Dressed in a green tunic and cap and armed with a sword and shield, Link goes on a quest that has him develop from a normal everyday boy living in Hyrule to an intrepid hero. Along the way, Link obtains powerful items or artifacts in his quest, notably the Master Sword.
Link also has to battle several enemies and usually has an ultimate showdown with the villain of the game: the evil Ganon (sometimes called Ganondorf) who is hellbent on conquering Hyrule and procuring a powerful source known as the Triforce.
Nintendo has created 21 “Legend of Zelda” games which feature alternate versions of Link and different storylines. However, all games feature the relationship between Link and Princess Zelda. The relationship is very iconic as it has taken on many forms with either being a friendship or an implied romance between the characters.
This isn’t the first time that the “Legend of Zelda” was adapted into another visual medium aside from video games. The video game was adapted into a 1989 cartoon series of the same name and it centered around Link and Zelda defending Hyrule from Ganon. The cartoon only lasted for one season with 13 episodes from Sept. 8 to Dec. 1 of 1989. One of the running gags of the series was Link’s quote “well, excuse me Princess!”
What is fascinating about the “Legend of Zelda” animated series is that the show’s incarnation of Link is a vocal character as opposed to the video game character who is usually a silent protagonist. However, some games often have Link making sounds as he is fighting, picking up heavy objects, or getting hurt. The movie will be the first time since the animated series where viewers will see Link talk, much like Chris Pratt’s Mario in the “Super Mario Bros.” movie produced by Universal.
News of the development of the fantasy video came after the aforementioned “Super Mario Bros. Movie” raked in $1 billion at the box office.
