Nintendo has announced that a live-action Legend of Zelda movie is now in the works with Sony Pictures.
The video game franchise creator Shigeru Miyamoto tweeted via his company’s Japanese X (formerly Twitter) account: “I have been working on the live-action film of The Legend of Zelda for many years now with Avi Arad-san, who has produced many mega hit films.
“It will take time until its completion, but I hope you look forward to seeing it.”
The high fantasy game series takes place in the Kingdom of Hyrule, with each one sending young elf-like adventurer Link on a quest to save Princess Zelda and her domain from the villainous Ganondorf.
Following the success of The Super Mario Bros movie this summer, this is highly anticipated news for fans who have wanted a Zelda film for decades, but just who will they cast?
Chris Pratt voiced Super Mario in Universal and Illumination’s CG-animated movie, however, Zelda is going to be a live-action movie at Sony Pictures.
Back in September, reliable scooper MyTimeToShineHello tweeted that Universal was developing a live-action Legend of Zelda movie, however, it looks like Nintendo had gone with Sony instead.
Meanwhile, Giant Freakin Robot has previously reported that an animated Zelda movie was in the works at Universal’s Illumination. This outlet also scooped that Henry Cavill (a gamer himself) was in talks to voice Link in such a film by the studio behind The Super Mario Bros Movie.
It’s possible that Universal and Sony were pitching different projects before Nintendo went with the latter as a live-action movie, which may now rule out The Witcher star given his age and muscular build are not in keeping with the young and skinny Link.
Nevertheless, The Maze Runner’s Wes Ball is directing the Legend of Zelda movie and back in 2010 he tweeted: “the next big mo-cap Avatar-like move should be… THE LEGEND OF ZELDA”.
Discussing Film speculates that the filmmaker’s pre-vis images for his canned Mouse Guard movie could hint at how he’d approach a live-action Legend of Zelda. After all, he’s certainly used to the method having directed the upcoming Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
If he gets his wish from 13 years ago, perhaps Cavill could play Link after all in motion capture ala Avatar.
Whatever the case, the newly announced Legend of Zelda movie will be penned by Derek Connolly, who wrote Jurassic World and Detective Pikachu.
Nintendo added: “By getting deeply involved in the movie production with the aim to put smiles on everyone’s faces through entertainment, Nintendo will continue its efforts to produce unique entertainment and deliver it to as many people as possible.”