Nintendo has had a long and tortured history of trying to adapt its IP into proper blockbuster films. Then The Super Mario Bros. came along and made it rain dollar bills for 40 days and 40 nights. Now, here we are, finally at the juncture where the prospect of a Legend of Zelda movie feels not only plausible, but also rewarding.
For context, the idea of a live-action The Legend of Zelda movie has been thrown around the rumor mill for quite some time, most notably after The Super Mario Bros. Movie shone a flashlight on Nintendo’s deep well of content waiting patiently for similar treatment. For a while there we even thought Netflix would be the one to make our dreams come true, but alas, we’ve been left out in the cold with hardly a spicy pepper to keep us warm.
Until now…
Sony + Nintendo = The Legend of Zelda live-action movie
That’s right — Sony Pictures Entertainment and Nintendo have teamed up to develop a live-action movie of The Legend of Zelda.
Nintendo’s very own Shigeru Miyamoto announced the big news on Nov. 7 via Nintendo’s Twitter (X) account, saying “We have now officially started the development of the film with Nintendo itself heavily involved in the production.”
Accompanying Miyamoto as co-producer is Avi Arad, known for his work on Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3, as well as X-Men, X-2, and Iron Man, among many other popular movies. Wes Ball will direct the movie, drawing upon his experience with The Maze Runner trilogy and 2024’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
Do we know when the movie will be released or what it will be about?
Given the early stage of the announcement, there’s currently scant information about the live-action movie, save its definitive status as being in development. It does not have a release window yet or any synopsis tied to it.
It’s also unclear where in The Legend of Zelda’s rich history the movie will draw from, be it 1998’s Ocarina of Time, 2017’s Breath of the Wild, 2023’s Tears of the Kingdom, or any other storyline from the game’s long history.
As more information is released, we will update you. Stay tuned, and stay excited.