Put down your Nintendo Switch, we have an update on the Legend of Zelda movie. Unfortunately, it isn’t a good one.
In the aftermath of the success of the Super Mario movie (the best video game movie of the year so far), rumors and reports began to swirl about a Legend of Zelda movie. These suggested that both Nintendo and animation studio Illumination were eager to recreate the success of Mario’s adventures, but this time with the equally iconic Link and Zelda in Hyrule.
It seems like a no brainer. But, while we’ve been busy speculating on the Zelda movie release date, the head of Illumination has poured cold water on the whole idea. “I don’t know where that came from,” said Chris Meledandri, speaking with The Wrap.
“I mean I can understand how people would surmise all sorts of things because obviously, we’ve had a great experience working together,” Meledandri continued. “My relationship with Nintendo now includes being on their board of directors, so I understand how people can surmise these things. But in terms of the specifics, that was just something that I’ve been hearing lots of reports. This is just about what’s next between Nintendo and Illumination.”
Meledandri doesn’t actually deny that Nintendo and Illumination are considering a Zelda movie, he just says he doesn’t know where all the stories are coming from. However, his unwillingness to confirm the reports or engage with any detail does indicate that any confirmation of a Zelda movie may still be a little while off.
That in itself is surprising, but it may be that Nintendo and Illumination are still working to figure out exactly how to approach a Zelda movie. Would it be animated in the same way as Mario to enable a crossover? How would the story differentiate itself from the Mario movie? Could you invert the typical Link/Zelda dynamic?
Plenty of questions, and undoubtedly we’ll soon be getting answers. While Meledandri might be acting coy, we’re still pretty confident that a Zelda movie is coming, and it has the the potential to be one of the best fantasy movies around.
For more, check out our guide to the Sonic 3 release date, and the Super Mario 2 release date. Or, take a look at all the new movies coming this year, as well as our picks for the best movies of all time. You can also check out our feature on the 5 videogame TV series that need to happen after the success of The Last of Us. To stick with the Switch, Pocket Tactics has a brilliant Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom review.