Daily Debate: Would You Like to See Practical Effects Used in the Zelda Movie?
Posted on January 09 2024 by Heather Beard
Before I dive in to the question itself, this question stemmed from a really nice discussion that the ZD team was having regarding the recent rise in the use of more and more CGI and special effects in movies. Personally the overuse of CGI can make a movie feel a little stale for me, but as we were talking as a team the idea of practical effects came up in conversation leading us all to wonder how practical effects could be used in the Zelda movie. So, the question, would you like to see practical effects used in the Zelda movie?
It’s a resounding “yes” from me! There’s something special about practical effects that make them seem very real and helps bring you into the movie’s world more. Look at the dinosaurs used in Jurassic Park, the myriad of characters in the Star Wars franchise, and most recently Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. They all used practical effects that helped immerse the viewer into the world. In 2015 when Jurassic World opted to not use practical effects I felt like some for the magic of the Jurassic Park franchise was lost, but that feeling was rekindled when the sequel released and practical effects and dinosaurs were opted for in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. In Jurassic Park especially, the practical dinosaurs look real, they look as if they were plucked straight from fossils and truly brought back to life. I feel like The Legend of Zelda movie could do the same while using CGI where needed.
Could you imagine a practical costume effect for the Zora, Rito, or even the Gorons? What about puppet Koroks that looked and moved as if they were really part of our world? I can see so much benefit to practical effects to the point where I feel like the use of CGI might rob Zelda fans of some of the magic that Hyrule has to offer. Now, I’m not against CGI or other computer generated special effects, they definitely have their place, but I don’t want the Zelda movie to be a “green screen movie” like how some of the more recent MCU movies have felt. I think the Zelda movie would feel more “real” with practical effects, and I hope that the studios producing the movie finds a way to make that happen and find a good balance between practical and CGI effects.
What do you think though? Do you hope that the Zelda movie uses practical effects? What kind of effects do you hope to see in the Zelda movie? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Hi I’m Heather! I’m Senior Editor and Art Director at Zelda Dungeon and I’ve been a member of the ZD team since 2019. I am a graphic designer, artist, and nerdy mom to an awesome little boy. When my nose isn’t in a book, working on my novel or watching anime you can find me curled up with my cats Mandy-Lynn and Daisy Mae.
