The upcoming Legend of Zelda movie has the weight of decades' worth of gaming’s most beloved characters behind it. From longtime staples like Princess Zelda and Ganondorf to fan favorites like Tingle, Beedle, and Impa, there's no shortage of personalities that could make the jump to the big screen. But while the temptation to pack the movie with recognizable characters will be strong, restraint might be the film's greatest weapon.
The Zelda franchise has always struck a delicate balance between the epic and the eccentric. A live-action adaptation will naturally lean toward the former, aiming for sweeping visuals and heroic storytelling. Still, fans know that part of the charm of Hyrule is found in its weirdos: the odd shopkeepers, the mysterious sages, the delightfully strange side characters who linger at the edges of every adventure. The Legend of Zelda movie has every reason to bring some of them along for the ride. But if it wants to truly surprise and delight, it shouldn't announce them all in advance.
Legend of Zelda Movie Hit With Delay
Nintendo announces a release date delay for the live-action Legend of Zelda movie adaptation, while details around the project remain scarce.
Familiar Faces in the Legend of Zelda Universe, Carefully Deployed
Casting news is one of the easiest ways to drum up hype for a film adaptation of a video game. And The Legend of Zelda movie has been no stranger to the media buzz that follows casting news and rumors. In May, the fandom was ablaze with rumors that Hunter Schaefer was being considered for the role of Princess Zelda. With the rumors igniting both praise and criticism, the pressure was fully on to reveal who would play the franchise’s dynamic duo.
Casting announcements for Link and Zelda were recently revealed in a wave that inspired excitement among moviegoers and gamers alike. But with this major announcement, it is the perfect opportunity to pause and hold back. While it’s evident that flagship characters will be featured, the Legend of Zelda movie should certainly still keep an ace up its sleeve by withholding some key information on some characters.
Video Game Movie Adaptations Work Best When They Give Characters Space to Breathe
Part of what makes adaptations like Detective Pikachu, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie work is their willingness to embed surprise within familiarity. These films understood that fan service hits harder when it's not spelled out months in advance. Whether it's a pre-credits reveal like Shadow the Hedgehog’s or a well-timed entrance from Donkey Kong, letting those moments land in the theater gives the movie more cultural momentum.
The Legend of Zelda’s lore is both sprawling and intentionally vague to not scare away new players, which gives it enough room to reimagine familiar characters and surprise audiences with reinterpretations and purposeful deployments. The involvement of less protagonistic characters is not limited to a traditional speaking role or a moment to shine. They can be a sweet cameo or a split-second “blink and you miss it.” But to make these possible cameos work, they need to rely on the art of subtlety. If their involvement is telegraphed too heavily in advance, the script loses a valuable tool: the ability to shift gears and astonish.
Surprise is a Virtue for The Legend of Zelda Movie, Not a Flaw
Movie adaptations of iconic games face the unenviable task of translating a digital and interactive narrative into linear storytelling. To make the task easier, many of them lean on Easter eggs, cameos, and fan-favorite nods. But the most successful among them use these elements strategically, not as crutches but as carefully placed payoffs.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie didn’t announce the Yoshi Easter Egg in early marketing. The Sonic films did something similar, with Tails and Knuckles entering the franchise only after audiences had time to connect with Sonic himself. The Zelda film has every chance to follow suit. It doesn’t need to reveal every character it plans to use before the first trailer drops. In fact, it would be wise not to. For a series built on discovery and secrets, Zelda deserves a film adaptation that remembers the power of surprise.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 95 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- May 12, 2023
- ESRB
- Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Havok
- Cross-Platform Play
- N/A
- Cross Save
- N/A
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Action, Open-World
