It’s not everyday that a video game adaptation can find success on the silver screen, but The Super Mario Bros. Movie has broken the mould with an international box office gross of over US$1 billion. In light of this incredible feat, Tears of the Kingdom producer Eiji Aonuma and director Hidemaro Fujibayashi have expressed their interest in a big screen adaptation of The Legend of Zelda.
Speaking to Polygon, the pair shared while they are keen on the idea, it ultimately lies beyond their jurisdiction. “I have to say, I am interested. For sure. But it’s not just me being interested in something that makes things happen, unfortunately,” Aonuma said.
“Maybe the voice of the fans is what’s important here,” added Fujibayashi.
It’s easy to understand the appeal of a movie based on The Legend of Zelda games, especially with the overwhelming popularity and critical acclaim of the franchise. The prospect does present a double-edged sword: on the one hand, a proper, polished adaptation would be a dream come true for fans; on the other, it will be difficult to live up to the very high expectations.
But if there’s one company who has a chance of pulling yet another miracle, it might very well be Nintendo. Between iconic classics like Ocarina of Time and modern entries like Breath of the Wild, there’s plenty of material to work with for a Legend of Zelda movie. Creative freedom is also on the table, so Zelda herself may even become the hero of her own story, much like how Princess Peach got her time to shine in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
For now, though, fans can take delight in the long-awaited return to Hyrule and a hunky-looking Ganondorf in Tears of the Kingdom, which has joined its predecessor as one of the greatest-reviewed games of all time with average score of 96 on Metacritic.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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