November 8, 2023, 1:34 pm | Read time: 5 minutes

Since September 2023, the rumor mill has been churning. Allegedly, two adaptations of “The Legend of Zelda” are in discussion: a live-action version and an animated film. However, official confirmation was long in coming. After Nintendo’s “Super Mario Bros” sailed successfully through theaters, “Zelda” fans’ hopes for a movie were reignited, and the wait has paid off: Nintendo officially announced a film adaptation of “The Legend of Zelda” on November 8, 2023.

Here’s What We Know So Far

Nintendo is specifically planning a live-action adaptation but is keeping many important details under wraps. The cast and a tentative release date in theaters are still unknown. The same goes for the plot and how closely the film will follow the existing games. Shigeru Miyamoto is confirmed as the producer. Born in 1952, the Nintendo developer (“The Legend of Zelda,” “Donkey Kong,” “Mario Kart”) was also involved in the “Super Mario” film.

For the yet-untitled “Zelda” adaptation, he is joined by co-producer Avi Arad with his film studio Arad Productions. Arad has produced various Marvel films such as “Venom,” “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” and “Iron Man.” He also produced a film based on a popular game series, “Uncharted,” though it received a rather mediocre IMDb rating of 6.3. However, his film selection shows that Arad can handle both lighthearted action and dark fantasy. Since the “Zelda” material also has potential for both directions, it remains to be seen whether the film will primarily target families or rather teenagers and adults. The current profile of Nintendo films would suggest the former. At the same time, the live-action format allows for a more serious tone.

Also interesting: These well-known artists have composed songs for video games

Fan Wishes for the Cast

According to Nintendo, the director is already set: “Maze Runner” veteran Wes Ball. The financing is shared between Nintendo and Sony Pictures Entertainment. It is clear that Nintendo has pulled out the big guns in terms of production and will hopefully soon follow suit with the cast. When rumors of a possible adaptation were discussed on X (formerly Twitter) in September, the first fans already voiced their casting wishes. Tom Holland seems to be a favorite for many for the role of the pointy-eared hero. Producer Arad has worked with Holland multiple times, including on “Spider-Man” and “Uncharted,” where Holland played the young Nathan Drake. This in itself doesn’t mean much, but the hope remains.

Here you will find content from third-party providers

To interact with or display third-party content, we need your consent.

Activate

In order to display embedded content, your consent to the processing of personal data, which can be revoked at any time (via the switch or via “Revoke tracking and cookies” at the bottom of the page), is required. Data may be transferred to third countries such as the USA (Art. 49 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). By switching to “on” you agree. You can find more information here.

By the way: This is how Link and Zelda could look in real life

More on the topic

Bowser Jr. Attacks! Chaos Escalates in Space in the New “Super Mario Galaxy” Film

The number one is… Most Valuable Video Game Sold for $2 Million

Rumors About the Animated Film

“Link” and “Zelda” have entertained the video game world for decades. He as the brave hero with the magical sword, she–at least in the newer games–as the princess with mystical powers. This successful formula has brought joy to many gamers, and soon they will appear as a live-action adaptation on the big screen. But what about an animated film?

The enthusiasm for the adventures of Link and Zelda remains unbroken, which is always a favorable prerequisite for a film adaptation. This is also reflected in the sales of the two current games. “Breath of the Wild” has sold 30 million copies in total, and “Tears of the Kingdom” has sold nearly 20 million copies since its release in May 2023. Additionally, Zelda is one of Nintendo’s most well-known franchises, alongside Mario and Pokémon. It is already becoming apparent that “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” for the Nintendo Switch could become the game of the year (aside from possible competition from “Baldur’s Gate 3“).

Is “Tears of the Kingdom” worth it? Here’s the TECHBOOK review.

How Likely Is an Animated Film?

According to rumors on X (formerly Twitter), an animated film is indeed in the works. The particularly hot rumor mill in September was fueled by a conversation on X between Caleb Williams and the user “MyTimeToShineHello.” Williams is the editor-in-chief of Knight Edge Media. “MyTimeToShineHello,” on the other hand, has often proven to be a reliable source for insider information in the film industry. The reactions to the tweet are almost universally positive. However, it is also true that video game adaptations have often proven to be a tricky business in the past.

Here you will find content from third-party providers

To interact with or display third-party content, we need your consent.

Activate

In order to display embedded content, your consent to the processing of personal data, which can be revoked at any time (via the switch or via “Revoke tracking and cookies” at the bottom of the page), is required. Data may be transferred to third countries such as the USA (Art. 49 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). By switching to “on” you agree. You can find more information here.

The enormous response on social media also directly shows the financial potential a “Zelda” film would have. With a box office gross of over $1.36 billion, “Super Mario Bros”–Nintendo’s latest foray into the film world–has definitely paid off. However, an animated film has not yet been officially announced. Neither Nintendo nor Illumination have commented on the speculations. For some fans, this uncertainty might be a small disappointment, but the official confirmation of the live-action adaptation is sure to generate excitement.