10 Reasons The Legend Of Zelda Can Beat The Video Game Movie Curse

The highly-anticipated movie adaptation of The Legend of Zelda could 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, from the Resident Evil films to The Prince of Persia. But the upcoming The Legend of Zelda movie 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 recent trailer for the Borderlands movie prove 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 that The Legend of Zelda could be the latest in a string of successful video game movies.

10 The 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 Zelda has 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 benefit The Legend of Zelda has over other game series is the sheer variety it offers.

Nearly every The Legend of Zelda game 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 of The Legend of Zelda might be more approachable for a new story compared to other franchises, considering they’re used to fresh concepts.

9 More 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 like The Last of Us and Arcane, 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 like The Super Mario Bros. Movie broke box office records with its instantly iconic characters, and traditional 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 that The Legend of Zelda movie has a bright future ahead of it.

8 The 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 Zelda has some of the most widespread appeal of any title. With the original The Legend of Zelda being 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 Zelda will 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 with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on 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.

7 Nintendo 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, after the disastrous live-action Super Mario Bros. movie of 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’s Wreck-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 out The Legend of Zelda to a film without ensuring it does the series justice.

Ralph Breaks the Internet

Director

Rich Moore , Phil Johnston

Release Date

November 21, 2018

Studio(s)

Walt Disney Pictures , Walt Disney Animation Studios

Distributor(s)

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Writers

Pamela Ribon , Phil Johnston

Runtime

112 Minutes

Budget

$175 Million

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6 The Legend Of Zelda Is A Classic Fantasy Series

The appeal of fantasy shouldn’t be underrated

The Legend of Zelda is 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 Zelda embodies 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 considering The 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 like House of the Dragon still dominate streaming, it’s been a long time since a fantasy IP has truly dominated the box office. The Legend of Zelda could provide the pleasant medieval fantasy elements sorely absent from the modern-age’s movie theater marquees since the end of the The Hobbit trilogy.

5 Link 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 Zelda has the opportunity to be the first video game adaptation to do a silent protagonist justice. Five Nights at Freddy’s cast most 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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4 The 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 of The Legend of Zelda might be, without a solid script, the project would be doomed from the start, a castle without a foundation. The writer of The Legend of Zelda is listed, at the time of writing, as Derek Connolly on IMDb. Connolly is most well-known for his work on high-profile franchise films, including Jurassic World: Dominion, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and the infamous Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker.

While these divisive titles might be cause for alarm, Derek Connolly has demonstrated a solid ability to adapt video games. His work on Pokemon: Detective Pikachu harnessed 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.

Detective Pikachu

Director

Rob Letterman

Release Date

May 10, 2019

Studio(s)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributor(s)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Writers

Rob Letterman , Nicole Perlman

Cast

Ryan Reynolds , Suki Waterhouse , Bill Nighy , Chris Geere , Omar Chaparro , Ken Watanabe , Kadiff Kirwan , Justice Smith , Kathryn Newton , Rita Ora , Bernardo Santos

Runtime

104 minutes

Budget

150million

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3 Wes 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 Zelda director Wes Ball was most well-known for his work on the Maze Runner movies, a Hunger 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 for The 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 a Zelda movie.

Following up Matt Reeves’ critically-acclaimed Planet of the Apes movies was no easy task, but Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes dominated streaming after 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 Apes is a weirdly perfect demo for what Ball could do with The Legend of Zelda. If the final product is even half as good, the film will prove to be a success.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Director

Wes Ball

Release Date

May 10, 2024

Studio(s)

20th Century , Chernin Entertainment , Oddball Entertainment , Shinbone Productions

Distributor(s)

20th Century

Writers

Patrick Aison , Josh Friedman , Rick Jaffa , Amanda Silver

Cast

Kevin Durand , Freya Allan , Peter Macon , Owen Teague , Eka Darville , Sara Wiseman , Neil Sandilands

Runtime

145 Minutes

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2 The Legend Of Zelda Will Have A Studio Ghibli Aesthetic

The perfect storm of cozy fantasy escapism

The Legend of Zelda isn’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 original The Legend of Zelda was 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.

Director Wes Ball understands the power of linking The Legend of Zelda with 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 represent The 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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1 Wes 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 great Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was as a The Legend of Zelda movie 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 just how long Ball has been thinking about Zelda, first mentioning his desire to lead a The Legend of Zelda movie 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 a The Legend of Zelda live-action movie, comparing the motion capture performances it would need to Avatar. Once again, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes proves itself as a premonition for Ball’s success with The 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 for The Legend of Zelda to succeed.