Will these 5 video game adaptations be a hit or a miss?
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]
— 任天堂株式会社 (@Nintendo) November 7, 2023
The Legend of Zelda movie
Out of every adaptation in this list, this is the one I'm worried about the most. The Legend of Zelda isn't exactly one of those video games that you play and think to yourself: "This could very well be an amazing movie". After all, how would the series' iconic dungeons be represented on the big screen?
No one wants to sit there for ten minutes straight watching Link trying to figure out a complicated puzzle just to advance to the next room. On the other hand, you can't make a Legend of Zelda project of any type and not include any dungeons whatsoever.
Just like that example, there are many problems when it comes to adapting The Legend of Zelda franchise on the big screen. Link is a silent protagonist who never talks, open-world exploration can't be a thing in movies, and how on Earth would the Zoras look like in live-action?
There's one saving grace, however, and that is Nintendo being over-protective of its IPs. If they weren't confident a live-action movie of The Legend of Zelda could work, they wouldn't risk making it. Besides, it appears Shigeru Miyamoto, the series' creator, is directly involved in making the film. But not even that is enough to make us believe this project could respect its source material while being a cohesive two-hour movie that doesn't feel completely cramped.
As someone who absolutely loves The Legend of Zelda, it pains me with all my heart to say it but...
Verdict: Possible miss