Although The Super Mario Bros. Movie has proven to be a huge success, this doesn't mean that every other video game franchise, like Legend of Zelda, will be easy to adapt since studios would have to overcome several challenges. Released in 1986, the franchise follows Link as he takes on various villains in an effort to save the world or his loved ones. The series has left its mark in the gaming world with entries such as The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Wind Waker, Breath of the Wild, and more.
Legend of Zelda would be a great video game franchise to adapt next as the universe is full of interesting characters. Not only that, but Tears of the Kingdom (the sequel to Breath of the Wild) also saw positive reviews across the board so there is a chance that it would be a huge, financial success for studios. However, while his world has a lot of potential as a film, it also comes with a plenty of elements that would make adaptation difficult.
10 Link Doesn't Talk In The Legend of Zelda Games
Unlike Mario who talks to a certain degree, Link doesn't talk at all. Instead, the games have always relied on facial expressions and, in certain cases, text boxes to express his dialogue or feelings. While this works for the video games, it might not work as well in the context of a film given how much communication is used to enhance the story and characters.
It's not impossible as silent films have done this for years, with many still labeled as classics; however, to those who haven't played the franchise, they might find this to be a turn-off. At the same time, giving him a distinctive voice could also end up disappointing fans who are used to his silence and instead prefer his personality to be shown through his expressions and actions.
9 Legend of Zelda Would Have To Be Dark & Family-Friendly At The Same Time
While those unfamiliar with the franchise might assume it's family-friendly (particularly since Nintendo is regarded as a generally family-friendly video game company), several entries have delved into topics that are quite dark. The biggest example comes from Majora's Mask, which sees Link rushing to achieve his mission in three days before the moon comes plummeting down to destroy everyone.
The only thing stopping this is Link restarting the day. During this, he comes across plenty of people, each in their own stage of grief. Not every game deals with serious subjects like Majora's Mask, so the film could choose to take on a lighter adventure. However, these mature stories are what a lot of the fans love. Possibly, by having a light tone with darker undertones, the movie could find a good balance that appeals to all.
8 Live-Action Legend of Zelda Would Be Restricting
Despite the series boasting many distinctive art styles, it has never gone overly into realism that many other games have strived for. Its worlds have allowed for more unmatched breathtaking environments that will stand the test of time. By making it a live-action, it would be limited in trying to recreate those cartoon environments and fail to do it justice.
As for the outfit, trying to have an actor believably look natural in Link's iconic costume could end up looking silly, something many adaptations of animations have fallen into, and take viewers out of the moment. To make it worse, this could lead to redeg characters' costumes which, if not done right, will cause much discourse by fans. While a live-action film would be fascinating, an animated film would do more justice to the series as a whole.
7 Link's Actor (Or Voice Actor) Would Have A Tougher Time Than Mario's Actors
Much controversy was caused when The Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer dropped and fans found Chris Pratt voicing Mario instead of his video game voice actor, Charles Martinet. However, the film sured box office expectations regardless of the early advertising. So while Link's (voice) actor won't have to deal with living up to an iconic voice, he gets a more difficult task of creating Link's voice with no real frame of reference.
No matter who is chosen to portray him, fans of the franchise will likely be judgmental of the actor as well as choice to give Link a voice. Like Chris Pratt, they'd have to deal with abundant push-back. Nevertheless, finding an actor who is willing to undergo a fan's vigorous backlash will be another challenge to add to the list.
6 Picking The Right Legend of Zelda Story
Having as many titles as the Legend of Zelda does, there are plenty of stories that can be adapted from. At first, it would seem like a great thing, but upon further inspection, it becomes a heavy burden. As mentioned before, the entries vary considerably in style and gameplay.
Choosing one specific version could disappoint fans and in other cases, even anger some. Then there is the idea that the movie could create its own story instead of adapting one from the games. While it worked for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the stories of Mario franchise typically don't have the level of depth that Zelda has, so to create a unique storyline could be divisive and lose fans.
5 A Zelda Movie Has Been Hyped For Too Long, And More So Now After Mario
One problem that is completely out of anybody's control is the amount of hype the fans are generating for a Zelda film. Any time fans begin thinking about a film for adaptation from their favorite franchise, they create a bar too high that just isn't possible for those adapting to achieve.
With the success of the Mario film, expectations for what a Zelda movie could be were raised even higher. On top of having to determine which direction to take the storyline in, they won't be able to make a film that meets or exceeds everyone's grand expectations. The film could be great on its own, but it might not be what fans hoped for.
4 Adapting Zelda's Gameplay Won't Be Easy... At All
With all video games being turned into movies, gameplay has to be the biggest question as to how it should be incorporated. Obviously, it's not going to be able to give audiences control of the screen and even if it did, it would then be a game and not a movie. For most of these video game adaptations, it's all about getting that feeling of what the gameplay achieves.
For Mortal Kombat, it was an easy transition bringing the combat to the film format, but it would be extremely difficult for Zelda to capture that feeling of exploring the world or exploring temples and solving puzzles. A lot of the gameplay that fans tend to enjoy would be difficult to implement into a film and the fun in figuring out riddles just can't be translated.
3 Legend of Zelda's Canon & Timeline Is Confusing
Unlike most franchises where they have a singular story (with maybe a reboot or remake thrown in for good measure), the timeline of Zelda franchise is super confusing for newcomers and even some fans. While it starts off straightforward, it deviates out into three separate possible timelines. There are multiple games set in each timeline showing different stories with their own unique worlds and versions of Links.
There are maps and videos further explaining the various paths in the timeline, but trying to capture this or even explain this to casual audiences would be a massive challenge. However, making an attempt could lead to some new storytelling in films if done right.
2 A Zelda Movie Could Suffer From An Identity Crisis
Beginning in 1986, The Legend of Zelda franchise has garnered fans of all ages for decades now. Being a franchise suitable for all ages raises the question of whom the film should be aimed towards? The simple answer would be to aim for all audiences, but with a franchise that has incorporated many styles from around the world, many fans like the franchise for different reasons.
If the movie attempts to break new ground and create its own identity, there would inevitably be fans who are disappointed that the film doesn't resemble their Legend of Zelda. It's impossible to cater to everyone, however, by trying to create their own version of Zelda, it's more likely to disappoint fans along the way.
1 Legend of Zelda Would Have To Be A Long Movie, And That's A Problem
With much content packed into various games, fitting it all into one movie could easily produce a three-hour film. While long films in a much-loved franchise would still attract avid fans, lengthy films can negatively impact the viewer's experience. By trying to portray what makes the Legend of Zelda experience so addicting to players, the film would have to spend an extensive amount of time building the world, providing a story that hits all the important beats. They could choose to break it up into multiple films, but if this is done for just one game alone, it could easily get stale after its second film.
Thanks to films like The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the chance of a Legend of Zelda film is much more possible in the near future, though there will be many difficulties. Whether it be which fan base to cater to or if it should make it live-action, the film will undoubtedly be divisive. However, with enough time and effort invested and a thorough examination of what makes the franchise special to so many, the final product could up being an iconic entry, even possibly creating new fans in the process.
