Bomber’s Notebook #018 – Why a Zelda Movie is Feasible

The notion of a Zelda movie has been made before, and in late 2010 a full-length Zelda fan-made movie was released in theaters briefly, but was promptly shifted to the internet and then shut down completely by Nintendo in an attempt to protect the franchise’s identity from the contaminating hands of fans who may misrepresent the identity of Zelda. So it has been attempted before, but not by professional filmmakers. IGN’s 2008 April Fools video was a trailer for a fake Zelda movie and it looked convincingly real. If these two incidents have proven anything, it’s that a Zelda movie may not be as far-fetched as one might originally believe. Make the jump to read more!

Think Indiana Jones meets Lord of the Rings. Zelda has all the dungeon-exploring, butt-kicking action that one would find in an Indiana Jones movie and has a similar backdrop to that of The Lord of the Rings. Okay, perhaps Zelda isn’t on quite the same scale, but we all know how films such as these like to be a gigantic and epic as possible. Go big or go home, right? The Legend of Zelda is both revered and often criticized for its classic “damsel in distress” plots, but there are tons of events that occur in Zelda games that would make for some great on-screen sequences.

Remember all those fantastic cutscenes from Twilight Princess, witty remarks in The Wind Waker, the less traditional and incredibly engrossing story of Majora’s Mask and fetch quests in Ocarina of Time? Imagine what could be if all these elements were combined into a full-length feature. Lots of movies feature action-packed chase scenes and lots of travelling. Although these things are generally less compelling in video games, they are certainly applicable to movies. Yes, I’m talking about those semi-tedious fetch quests in Twilight Princess and Ocarina of Time.

Now about that silent protagonist… have you ever seen Pixar’s WALL-E? It was lauded as a brilliant work of art and the main protagonist and his love interest only spoke robotic gibberish. Most emotions were conveyed through body language. The story was interesting enough to keep viewers interested without the need for some major characters to speak coherent language. The Legend of Zelda has always survived as a franchise without a talking protagonist so that Link could serve as a link between the player and the game. However, watching a movie is much less interactive. Films are typically about having an intriguing chronicle unravel slowly before our very eyes.

This is why I believe some depth can be added to Link’s character. As for voice acting, many fans of the series already believe that it can be implemented into future games without taking away from its timeless charm. Movies normally will have voice audio in the modern day, unless the director wanted it to be reminiscent of silent films from decades ago. The web series “Fistful of Rupees” is a bit like a short movie in its own regard and all characters excluding Link talk. The characters in IGN’s trailer talked. Even the characters from “The Hero of Time” fan film in 2010 talked. You can watch one of the trailers below:

And this was produced by amateur filmmakers. What if Zelda had an experienced crew and a big budget to skyrocket it into theaters? And if some developers from Nintendo that spearheaded Zelda games could pitch in on ideas and help guide the movie along instead of leaving the direction solely in the hands of the filmmakers, it could retain the quintessential qualities of Zelda and avoid sullying the franchise’s image.

If there was a Zelda story that would best fit a movie, I think it’s a tie between the plot of Twilight Princess and Majora’s Mask. They both fit the bill. The entire game of Twilight Princess revolves around the struggle of Midna, the Princess of the Twilight Realm whose throne as the rightful leader is usurped by a phony, self-proclaimed king. It is this more mature turmoil that Link and Midna fight through that makes it intriguing. It is a quest to redeem what was unrighteously stolen from Link’s companion and more subtly a conflict for power.

As for Majora’s Mask, the peril of the falling Moon and Link’s adventure to save the land of Termina would make for quite the Hollywood blockbuster. Like in many thrilling action movies, the lives of several innocent people lies in the protagonist’s hands. The inclusion of a puppet (Skull Kid) being controlled by a soulless puppet master (Majora’s Mask) only complicates matters. The beginning of the game creates many questions that will be answered later on. Many mystery films and films of other genres use this structure.

In fact, many aspects of Zelda correspond with that of films and other media. There are antagonists, protagonists, a goal, a damsel in distress that may double as a love interest, multiple obstacles and occasionally entanglements driven by greed that involve more than one ill-intentioned individual involved in the conspiracy.

That being said, I firmly believe that a Zelda movie can only be accomplished if it is partially under the supervision of a Nintendo executive who knows The Legend of Zelda in and out and is created by the most professional of professionals. We’ve seen the work of amateurs and sometimes it’s bearable, other times it yields catastrophic results. A Legend of Zelda movie is possible and could be excellent if it is supervised by Nintendo and stays true to the franchise’s identifying traits, but the likelihood of this theoretical movie setting itself apart from other failed movies spawned from video games is improbable.

So what do you think? Do you, the readers believe that a Zelda movie is in the realm of possibility? Feel free to let us know in the comments section below!