Live-action ‘The Legend Of Zelda’ film announced at Nintendo

Nearly four decades since its debut, Nintendo‘s The Legend Of Zelda franchise is finally getting a live-action feature film.

Last night (November 7), Nintendo officially announced the development of a Legend Of Zelda film, which has yet to receive a release date. In its announcement, Nintendo confirmed that franchise co-creator Shigeru Miyamoto (who also helped create the Super Mario franchise) will serve as an executive producer alongside Avi Arad, a former chief operating officer of Marvel Entertainment.

The film will be directed by Wes Ball, who directed the Maze Runner trilogy and helmed the upcoming Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes film. A cast for the film has yet to be announced. Further details on the film, including its plot – or which game it will be adapted from – remain unknown at the time of publishing.

In a statement to fans and gamers, Shigeru Miyamoto said he has been working on a live-action Legend Of Zelda film “for many years now”. “I have asked Avi-san to produce this film with me, and we have now officially started the development of the film with Nintendo itself heavily involved in the production. It will take time until its completion, but I hope you look forward to seeing it.”

I have asked Avi-san to produce this film with me, and we have now officially started the development of the film with Nintendo itself heavily involved in the production. It will take time until its completion, but I hope you look forward to seeing it. [2]https://t.co/2H9lzzS5Pv

— 任天堂株式会社 (@Nintendo) November 7, 2023

Nintendo’s confirmation of a live-action Zelda film comes after Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri in June denied claims that a movie was in the works.

The Legend Of Zelda franchise debuted in 1986 on the NES platform. Since then, there have been over 20 mainline entries in the hit franchise, with the latest being this year’s The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom.

Tears Of The Kingdom, the successor to 2017’s acclaimed Breath Of The Wild, scored a four-star review from Dominic Preston for NME. Preston wrote: “These are welcome refinements, but that’s all they are. The game as a whole feels exceedingly familiar, a comfortable slide into old habits. Jog there, climb this, clear a shrine, go take a look at that funny tree over there just in case.”

“The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a contradiction: a brilliant game, comfortably among the Nintendo Switch’s best, while simultaneously a slight disappointment.”