A fan-made trailer shows what a classic Hollywood version of The Legend of Zelda would look like. Originally released in Japan, the adventure game made its way to North America on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987. Despite being one of the most popular and successful video game series of all time, The Legend of Zelda has only been adapted once to date with a 13-episode animated TV series. Link and the rest of Hyrule will finally be coming to the big screen in a Legend of Zelda movie from Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes director Wes Ball.
Before the movie hits screens, Abandoned Films has created a trailer that imagines what The Legend of Zelda would look like as a 1950s fantasy movie. Included with narration, the trailer moves throughout Hyrule and shows typical main characters from the game: Link, Princess Zelda, and Ganondorf. Sprinkled in the video are familiar locations like The Great Deku Tree, species including the Zora, and the iconic Master Sword. Check out the video below:
What This Means For The Legend Of Zelda Movie
The Movie Should Use As Many References As The Trailer
The trailer highlights different aspects from various games. With Nintendo publishing Zelda тιтles for nearly 40 years, countless hours and story elements can be pulled from the games. The trailer shows imagery similar to modern тιтles, like the critically acclaimed Tears of the Kingdom, but also takes inspiration from classic тιтles. A young and adult Link are featured, a story that comes from the N64’s The Ocarina of Time. An interesting aspect of the trailer that it gets wrong is a right-handed Link. Excluding games that use motion control like Skyward Sword, Link is traditionally a southpaw.
The key to a Legend of Zelda movie is having the right feel over a strict adaptation.
Like the trailer, the best course of action for the movie could be to take elements from different games instead of adapting one of the epic tales. The Legend of Zelda is overflowing with lore and has endless possibilities. The movie itself could never be a strict adaptation, as Link famously does not speak in the Nintendo games. Given how the trailer seamlessly incorporates different aspects across Zelda‘s long history, the movie should take a similar approach.
Our Take The Legend Of Zelda Trailer
The Movie Should Have A Similar Vibe
The trailer takes an interesting angle by showing how classic Hollywood could have adapted the series. The upcoming film will have to take a different approach in its visuals, but the trailer has the right idea. The key to a Legend of Zelda movie is having the right feel over a strict adaptation. I’m much more concerned with the movie mirroring the feeling and vibe I get playing the games rather than trying to fit itself within The Legend of Zelda‘s confusing timeline. If the movie can get that right, it has a real chance to succeed.
Source: Abandoned Films/YouTube
