A new rumor has appeared that The Legend of Zelda is about to get its own animated movie. But, you might not like the finer details of this rumor.
This comes from Jeff Sneider, who revealed it at the top of the latest episode of Joe Rocha’s YouTube show The Hot Mic. You can catch’s Jeff’s comments here, but we’ve transcribed what he said:
“I’m told that Universal is closing a big deal with the Nintendo Corporation for The Legend of Zelda. That is looking like the next big Illumination – Nintendo franchise, which, again, we were all sort of expecting.
But I’m told that’s happening, and it’s going to cost Universal a pretty penny, because of the success of Mario, but yeah, I’m told that this is now going to be a reality.”
Jeff is a veteran entertainment reporter, who touts that he has “Cultivated relationships with legacy Hollywood studios as well as new streaming companies (Netflix, Amazon, Apple) and top agencies (CAA, WME, UTA)” and that he has “Reported exclusive stories regarding A-list artists and top IP that have been picked up by the New York Times and dozens of other mainstream outlets.”
So, to put it simply, he can back up his credentials as an insider source in Hollywood, and he would definitely have sources that could give him exclusive early information like this.
Of course, this news also comes in light of the Super Mario Bros Movie, already one of the most successful animated movies ever made, and tracking to take the top spot from either Frozen 2 or The Lion King, depending on who you talk to.
Ironically, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa recently stated that they aren’t in a rush to make a new Nintendo movie in an earnings call. But perhaps signing this deal early won’t actually mean a rushed production.
As with any film, pre-production could take weeks or years, as Nintendo and Universal close down on a script, cast, and production company they will trust to get the movie right.
Now, there’s a lot of concern among fans about this announcement, and it’s definitely warranted. Illumination is a proven bankable studio, but they aren’t known for making action oriented animation, in comparison to, say, Avatar Studios under Viacom, or various Japanese animation companies, like Studio Trigger, Madhouse, or even Studio Ghibli.
Fans will definitely want to see a The Legend of Zelda movie made by Studio Ghibli because of their inspiration towards Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
But maybe that won’t be the pitch for this The Legend of Zelda movie. If Illumination is making a The Legend of Zelda movie based on The Wind Waker or Link’s Awakening, that feature a younger Link, or an original story with that tone, Illumination could pull it off.
We will certainly be waiting if and when Universal and Nintendo confirm this news.
