Nintendo confirmed on Wednesday that it would be producing a live-action version of The Legend of Zelda.
The film will be produced by Nintendo with co-creator Shigeru Miyamoto serving as producer, and Avi Arad, formerly of Marvel Studios, who worked on projects like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Uncharted, and Venom. Nintendo and Sony Pictures will co-finance the film, with Nintendo putting up half the budget, and Sony handling distribution.
The announcement comes after Nintendo saw massive success with the Super Mario Bros. Movie, which is the second-highest grossing film of the year behind Barbie. Speculation over a live-action Zelda has been around for years, with rumors heating up after Super Mario‘s success.
Nintendo offered little detail about the film in its concise press release. While Super Mario was a colorful animated film that appealed to kids and longtime fans alike, it’s unclear what tone a Zelda film would take.
“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,” the company said in its release.
The Legend of Zelda franchise is arguably the second most-popular only behind Super Mario, so there will likely be a lot of fan scrutiny over details like the cast and plot. The franchise has seen a massive resurgence in recent years, winning over new and old fans alike with two critically lauded games in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, which came out earlier this year to rave reviews.
It’s also unclear where from Zelda’s convoluted franchise the filmmakers would pull from, since it famously has multiple timelines and continuities. Consistent through many of the adventures, however, has been the warrior Link, Princess Zelda, and main antagonist Ganon.
While the Super Mario Bros. Movie made its way to Peacock, it’s unlikely Zelda will follow the same route. Super Mario was produced by Universal, which owns NBC and Peacock. Traditionally, a lot of Sony films, including Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, showed up on Netflix, but the film could end up on any streaming service.
Photo Credit: Nintendo