According to Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri, the much anticipated Zelda movie adaptation is not happening
The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a pleasant surprise for Nintendo fans. Instead of the expected Hollywood cash grab, it turned out to be a heartfelt tribute to the legendary series and was a lot of fun. The positive reception led to many fans eagerly requesting more Nintendo adaptations, with the Zelda franchise being on top of the list.
Since both Illumination and the creators of Nintendo's latest success, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, have expressed interest in a Zelda movie, fans got their hopes up in no time.
Legend of Zelda Movie Rumors – Illumination Finally Speaks Up
The release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has fueled excitement for a potential Zelda movie even more, as the franchise has become more popular than ever.
Earlier this year, Giant Freakin Robot reported that Illumination, the studio behind the Super Mario Bros. Movie, has begun working on an animated film adaptation of the Legend of Zelda franchise. Although the report was lacking specific details, they claim to have received this information from reliable sources. Turns out, these sources weren't so reliable after all.
In a recent interview with "TheWrap", Illumination's CEO Chris Meledandri has shed some light on the situation. It appears that there has never been any intention to create a movie adaptation of Zelda. Despite the remarkable triumph of the recent Super Mario Bros. movie, which led to him getting a seat on Nintendo's board of directors, there are currently no plans for further collaborations involving the Zelda franchise.
Turns out, all those rumors floating around from supposed "reliable sources" had no factual basis after all.
“I don’t know where that came from" ~ Meledandri via "TheWrap"
But never say never. Even hough the movie isn't planned at the moment, that doesn't rule out any chances for the future. However, before that happens, let's enjoy the new Legend of Zelda game (if you still need the console, you can buy a reasonably priced Switch here ).
With numerous influential figures in the industry expressing their interest in a Zelda movie, our hopes are undeniably well-founded.
The Legend of Zelda Movie Adaptation Teased
During an episode of Hot Mic, Zach Snyder revealed, that Universal is trying to seal the deal with Nintendo, regarding a Zelda adaptation. He claims that the deal is “close to official” and that it will cost Universal a lot of money.
Figures, if you want to acquire the right to a franchise as big as Zelda.
But even the creators of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom want this to happen, according to Polygon. During an interview, producer Eiji Aonuma and director Hidemaro Fujibayashi expressed their enthusiasm for a Zelda adaptation.
Aonuma stated, “I have to say, I am interested. For sure. But my interest alone won't make it happen, unfortunately.” Fujibayashi added that “perhaps the voice of the fans is what truly matters here.”
If the voice of the fans is anything to go by, this movie adaptation will definitely happen, but there is a tiny detail that will stand to be their greatest challenge.
In the games, Link never utters a single word. How are you going to have the protagonist of a movie not speak?
This is a challenge they will have to figure out somehow. Whether they are going to cast somebody as Link's voice actor or work around him not speaking differently is going to be the hot topic of the movie.
Anything Zelda-related certainly deserves attention: