4 reasons the Legend of Zelda film shouldn’t happen – and what they can do instead

The upcoming live-action Legend of Zelda film was announced in early November 2023. Since then, fans have been dying to find out any details about the script, cast, release date, and any other rumors that come our way.

As a fan, mixed feelings sped through my head quicker than Ocarina of Time’s Running Man. “We’re getting a film!” “Ah, but what if it’s bad?” “Can’t wait to see what game it adapts or if it decides to go completely rogue!” “But there’s too much material to squeeze into a satisfying film, and they could be missing out on untapped potential…” The list goes on, but I can nail it down to 4 major reasons The Legend of Zelda film shouldn’t happen – and what they can do instead.

Of course, I might be proven wrong. The film could be a spectacular and satisfying project, and if that’s the case then I’ll be the first to admit it. But there’s a real possibility to do something far greater for The Legend of Zelda than a live action film.

1. A Film Is Limited, Even If They Start A Series

Director Wes Ball, who directed the Maze Runner series and the upcoming Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, wants the film to be “serious” and “whimsical”. Shigeru Miyamoto, the godfather of Nintendo, has teamed up with Avi Arad, the film producer who’s been involved in Marvel films dating all the way back to the 2000s X-Men, but recently (and worryingly) Morbius.

This doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence…

The sheer amount of Zelda material out there is near-endless. Right now, we don’t know which game the film will adapt. Will it adapt the most successful entries Breath of the Wild and its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom? What if they throw out the towel and create a brand new adventure?

Either way, while I don’t think there’s a particularly ‘wrong way’ to go about making one or two films, and where they source the material, there is so much out there that it would be a waste to miss out on.

2. Casting Controversy

This may or may not happen, but there’s the potentiality of some pretty questionable casting choices.

Nothing has been proven yet, but big budget films have the tendency (at the moment at least) to cast the ‘hottest’ actors at the time. Florence Pugh, Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya… These are just some names that spring to mind. This isn’t to say actors in question will be ‘bad’, and it’s easy to see why they’re chosen (after after all, a film isn’t made to perform poorly at the box office), but that element doesn’t always bode well.

Even when it comes to animation, big-name actors in roles become an issue when, arguably, that role would better suit a professional voice actor that could deliver a more nuanced performance.

3. It Might Miss Out

I’m pretty sure that the film would try to please the entire fanbase but it wouldn’t be enough to rely on Easter eggs alone to ensure there’s a little bit of everything. Easter eggs can add a nice tough to references but they can also be a cheap substitute for a plot, character, or item that could have been explored more.

As seen in the Super Mario Bros. film, big films like this trade a compelling story and more comprehensive world-building for corny jokes and overused tropes in order to appeal to a wider audience. While it’s better for the box office, it’s not always better for quality.

4. An Animated Series Would Be Way Better

Now of course an adaptation can (and should) bend the rules here and there because otherwise there’d be no room for creative experiment! But it should uphold the original material’s core, and a live action take on these factors won’t quite bring in those elements that fans adore.

Live action won’t do The Legend of Zelda justice.

What would do the franchise justice is a series. Imagine an animated cinematic Zelda universe, where each game (or most of them) has a special spotlight as its own series, interweaving and intersecting into an overarching account of the legend across the varying timelines and locations. That would give the studio working on it a chance to develop on deeper Hyrulean lore and character arcs. Here’s what a series could delve deeper into:

• The Hero of Time’s tragic story. An in-depth exploration of the Hero of Time’s journey across the events of Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, and beyond, would be wildly interesting from a psychological perspective. His regrets on not passing on lessons of his life to those who came after him after being sent back in time to his childhood, and laments that he is not remembered as a hero would make for a dark, sorrowful, and twisted plot.
• The psychological impact of Dark Link. Link’s shadow doppelgänger sure would be a great motif and antagonist to have reappear throughout the various series. A dark and intriguing challenge for the hero.
• The different Links and Zeldas. Skyward Sword’s laidback Link and playful Zelda, The Wind Waker’s sassy Link and confident Zelda, Twilight Princess’ steadfast Link and sensible Zelda. Exploring each personality, their quirks, flaws, mannerisms, is something I’d love.
• The varying Hyrulean races. Having the chance to explore the varying cultures and races of Hyrule (and worlds beyond if we’re taken to Termina, the Twilight Realm, or Labrynna), could add multiple layers of complexity to the land’s lore and history.

While the basics of the series always stay the same — Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf are in a constant cycle of reincarnation, with Zelda and Link locked in battle against Ganondorf’s evil — the actual storylines differ from game to game, adding new characters and elements.

There could even be the chance to explore different animation styles to match the games. With the news that Nintendo is seeking new studios and third parties to collaborate with on existing franchises, it wouldn’t be out of line to suggest a different collaboration for each series would bring refreshing and colorful visual interpretations to us. Just like each game does.

And yes, there was 1989’s The Legend of Zelda cartoon series — but I think we’ve learned from that!