After being flung into the spotlight via the MCU, Tom Holland’s face has persisted in our collective nerd-culture ever since. From follow-up appearances as Spider-Man to rumors of being a young Nathan Drake to his seeming likeness being retconned into Insomniac’s take on the likeable web-slinger, he’s been the talk of the town this year. But quite the juicy hunk of gaming-adjacent meat we’ve sunk our teeth into lately has been a supposed live-action Legend of Zelda series being produced by Netflix, and the prevailing gossip that Holland is the desired pick to play the lead role of Link.
While Joe Keery has more ties to Netflix (having become a fan favorite as Steve in Stranger Things) and could arguably give us a likeable goof of a Hylian hero, Holland seems to have nailed down the ‘young-lad-who’s-comically-awkward-but-charming-somehow’ pop culture slot of this decade. Michael Cera’s officially outgrown the title, and perhaps Joe Keery is just too-cool-for-school to give us the Link Netflix is sure to create. That said, any live-action interpretation of the Zelda franchise in an official capacity would be a first for the character and the brand, but who else could make for an engaging series?
The most important character in need of role assignment should be addressed first. So, naturally, let’s all acknowledge that Chris Pratt would make the perfect Tingle and it’s obviously the most pivotal casting choice to be filled ASAP. His boundless childlike energy matched with such masculine physique would make for an ideal western-acted take, and the potential for how many variations on ‘Koo-loo-limpah’ we could get from him would be the ideal use of his fame and experience.
What’s that? Some people hate Chris Pratt, perhaps even with a strong passion? As it turns out, some people hate Tingle, as well – seeing Pratt play such a role might be therapeutic for those who despise the man, as well as those who love him. It’s sort of a win-win, either way. Except for Pratt, perhaps – but given his history with Holland, including Disney’s odd fantasy flick Onward, it’s a possibility.
Another often-forgotten recurring character in the franchise which could absolutely become a surprise stand-out favorite could be Impa. Originally the ‘wise old hag’ stereotype, Impa has gradually become more and more active in the series, even being a playable protagonist in multiple spin-offs. Consistently portrayed in recent times as a shinobi warrior, Impa has always been a guardian to Zelda in one manner or another.
The Sheikah as a plot device and people group have only become more relevant in the franchise as time goes on, and while Sheik themself is a symbol of that, Impa is the actual character who teaches Zelda the ways of the Sheikah, or at the very least serves as a connection to them. For a more adult take on the character, T’Nia Miller (who recently was featured in Netflix’s Bly Manor series) might make for a fresh spin on the character, reminiscent of how she was depicted in Ocarina of Time: stoic, wise, but sturdy and strong. Miller could give this dual presence of strong warrior but caring maternal figure in fleshing out an older take on Impa without slipping into the ‘wise old crone’ archetype.
Though, given the trends we’re likely to see in a live-action take on Zelda, Netflix would very likely cast a younger actress to be Impa – someone lesser known but capable of giving the character a likeable spark that brings a ferocity out of the shadows she typically lurks in.
Kiana Medeira could fill the bill. Having demonstrated a lot of potential in the recent young adult series Trinkets, she walked a fine line between rebel and loyal companion, a line that Impa would be suited to traverse in any TV adaptation. She’s also not specifically well-known or brought up, like Impa, but brimming with talent. Such a take on the character could inject new life into such an old figure of gaming in a way that would be surprising to many, fans of the series included, and help differentiate the main cast from what would be expected, helping give such a show a unique identity amongst other iterations of Hyrule.
There are many other recurring characters in Zelda’s long lore and expanse of games which could remixed, adapted, and given new life, and it’s exciting to consider the theoretical outcomes. Marin/Malon, the King of Hyrule (Sean Bean could either finally survive, or just end up being murdered like usual to incite war), the three famous Goddesses, the Skullkid (Gaten Matarazzo would be an oddly fitting choice), and so many more granular characters from individual games could all be blended together (Midna, Groose, Linebeck, Navi, etc.), offering a wide breadth of diversity for either refreshing character development or amusing cameos. Seeing one actress play both Koume and Kotake (aka Twinrova) could be a funny spin, as well. There’s also the cast of Breath of the Wild to consider, though that portrayal seems unlikely for Zelda’s first foray into live-action.
It’s also interesting to consider how races like the Gorons, Koroks, and Zora might be depicted. Even different versions of the same characters could exist across multiple seasons, depicting different takes on the franchise’s rich history, or even re-using the cast to play different versions of the characters. The Zelda brand is rife with crazy possibilities, either way, and while Holland may be quite a ‘safe’ pick for Link, Netflix has at least shown a willingness to let more diversity shine in some of their series, and even take care with adaptations of game series they choose to produce.
If this rumored series is really happening, we’re likely in for at least a couple of pleasant surprises, no matter what happens.
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