Fans of The Legend of Zelda series, it has finally been announced. After the major financial success of the recent Super Mario Bros. movie, Nintendo has announced that an official live-action Legend of Zelda movie is in development.
The Legend of Zelda movie announcement
According to an official social media post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa announced that the company will develop a live-action Legend of Zelda movie.
The film will be produced by Zelda creator and Nintendo Representative Director Shigeru Miyamoto and Avi Arad.
Arad is the acclaimed producer behind many beloved blockbuster films, including the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films and the acclaimed Spider-Verse animated movies developed by Sony Animation Pictures.
In addition, a director has been named for the Legend of Zelda movie. Visual effects artist, graphic artist, and filmmaker Wes Ball will wield the proverbial Master Sword, tasked with bringing the beloved fantasy adventure series to the big screen.
With more than 35 years of games and a fanbase in the millions, there have been rumors of a live-action Legend of Zelda movie almost as long as the internet itself. There have been fan films, including a famous April Fools parody trailer by IGN in 2008, but nothing concrete through official channels until now.
Ball’s filmography is an interesting choice. His directorial credits include all three live-action adaptations of The Maze Runner books. and the upcoming Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes feature film.
As for who will fund and distribute the Legend of Zelda movie, that has led to some interesting financial bedfellows.
Nintendo plans to co-finance the film, contributing more than 50% to production, with the portion as well as worldwide theatrical distribution handled by Sony Pictures Entertainment.
This is amusing since the last time Nintendo and Sony collaborated on a project, it was for a planned disc-drive attachment for the Super Nintendo console back in the 1990s. But when this partnership fell apart, it led to Sony developing the first PlayStation
Here’s hoping several decades of time have led to stronger mutual trust.
