"I'm a real boy!" Out of the blue and it's official: Nintendo's beloved Link, protagonist of the The Legend of Zelda series, is to be transformed into a real live-action movie star – by Sony?!
Nintendo game director and creator of the Zelda series, Shigeru Miyamoto, confirmed in a late Tweet/X post on Tuesday 7 November that he had asked Avi Arad, CEO of Marvel Studios, to produce the movie with him, and that production has "officially started development". However, "it will take time until its completion," so it won't be in cinemas anytime soon.
Interestingly, as referenced in Nintendo's official press release, the movie will be co-financed by Sony. But I'm not talking PlayStation or Sony Computer Entertainment here, rather Sony Pictures Entertainment, which will also handle worldwide distribution.
This is Miyamoto. 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. [1]November 7, 2023
The Legend of Zelda movie will be directed by Wes Ball, best known for the Maze Runner trilogy, and while creative intent can certainly take an entirely different direction, that would be an interesting style to imagine this Zelda movie taking.
The partnership sure looks like a grown-up and bold statement by Nintendo, and getting Sony Pictures on board does make sense: after all, its biggest hits include the recent Spider-Man movies, among many other well-respected titles, such as the James Bond franchise.
As a lifelong Zelda fan, I'm excited by the idea of seeing Link on the big screen. We all already know how the story will go, of course, as it's always the same. But seeing movie magic applied to Gorons and Koroks and much more could be amazing – here's hoping, as the series holds a very special place in so many people's hearts.
