Wes Ball, the director of the upcoming live-action Legend of Zelda film, sat down with Polygon this week to discuss his goals and vision for the movie. Despite first praising the possibility of an entirely mo-capped film back in 2010, Ball has since changed his mind, now aiming to eliminate mocap altogether, instead aiming to create something more “grounded” and “real.”
Most recently, Ball directed Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which is due to hit theaters on May 8.
“We’re working hard, and we’re gonna make something great,” Ball said, though he was barred from saying much about the project. “I know I’m gonna get a ton of Zelda questions. Sorry to disappoint, but I can’t say anything about it for now…just that I love Zelda and I’ll work my ass off to make something great for us.”
When asked what lessons he learned from his work on Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Ball responded in a way that has fans hopeful for Link’s jump to the big screen.
“Keep the money on the screen. Be ambitious. Be confident in the talent around you. Try to do something great.”
Ball noted that if the film performs well, he’d be interested in making additional installments. He also didn’t say no to John Cena playing Navi, which almost certainly pulled a laugh from the interviewer.
Shigeru Miyamoto is working alongside producer Avi Arad on the film. Sony is co-financing the project.
The most recent Zelda title, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, was released on May 12, 2023.
