With the news of a Mario movie in the works, Nintendo fans began speculating about what other properties Nintendo could bring to film. An obvious choice is the Legend of Zelda games, with their rich stories and worlds, and a plethora of memorable characters. If Nintendo felt confident that a movie about Mario was something that would work, it’s likely that they see the same potential in their Zelda franchise.
There is no concrete news of any plans for a Zelda film at the moment, but it’s a definite possibility for some time in the future. If this adaptation were to be greenlit, who would be the best choice to take on the project as a director and bring these iconic stories to life?
Out of the gate, Peter Jackson seems like the most obvious choice to direct a story about a vast fantasy world after his success with The Lord of the Rings films. If Jackson applied a similar approach to the one he took to the Lord of the Rings movies to a Legend of Zelda story, it could give it the same sense of realism and timelessness that The Lord of the Rings has. Jackson might be best fit for an adaptation of Breath of the Wild, as it has a sprawling world to work with, and a plot that is very focused on the humanity and emotions of the characters involved.
The one worry of a Peter Jackson Zelda movie is that he might play it a little too straight, rather than leaning into the fun and quirkiness that the Legend of Zelda franchise has. However, pre-Lord of the Rings, Jackson had a background in creating independent horror films, and might be able to apply the weirdness of those films to the tone of a Zelda one.
If Nintendo is looking for someone who can lean into the weird quirkiness of Zelda, Guillermo Del Toro is a fantastic option. Weird is what he is known for, along with strange creatures and horror elements. All of these could combine to make a really interesting Zelda flick. Del Toro also has a knack for worldbuilding and would definitely be able to handle the world and lore of Hyrule, and make it into something that feels really rich.
It would make a lot of sense for him to tackle one of the Zelda stories that has slightly scarier elements, such as Majora’s Mask. That story would be especially fitting for Del Toro because of the kinds of creature work that could be done on screen with Link transforming into different Hylian races (such as the Zora, who are fish people reminiscent of the character from The Shape of Water), and the creepiness of Skull Kid and that ever-looming moon.
Cuarón is another director who would be able to lean into the whimsy and quirkiness of the Legend of Zelda series, but would still be able to handle the scarier elements of the series and the emotional character beats. His work on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a perfect example of this – he was able to take a piece of media that is family-friendly and was able to keep it that way while also making it interesting and dark at certain points.
His Harry Potter movie also shows that he would be capable of handling a big project like this that involves a much-beloved franchise. Cuarón would be able to bring an artistic touch to a Zelda movie, and really ground it without losing the fun.
Brad Bird is mostly known for directing animated features (such as The Iron Giant, Ratatouille, and The Incredibles), but he has worked on live-action films such as Tomorrowland, and he would be able to deftly handle a live-action Zelda film, or even an animated one if Nintendo decided to take that route instead. Working with animation has given him an eye for the whimsical and fantastical, and he could bring that to The Legend of Zelda while also keeping the signature emotional heart that is at the center of his most beloved films.
A Zelda movie with the feeling of The Iron Giant would work really well: the blend of realism and fantasy would ground the world, and Bird could work in that essential element of pathos that connects the audience to the Zelda characters and makes us emotionally invested in them. His work in the animation industry would also lend to a bright and vibrant visual style, even in live-action, which is exactly the kind of touch a Zelda movie in the style of Breath of the Wild, or Ocarina of Time, or even Skyward Sword would need.
If The Legend of Zelda were to be made into an animated feature specifically, the Studio Ghibli style of animation and storytelling would likely fit the world and the story the best, and it would only make sense to bring on the most prolific of the directors at the company to helm it. Miyazaki is a master at his craft, and his eye for worldbuilding and storytelling through visuals would fit the world of Zelda perfectly.
A Zelda Ghibli movie would probably be closer in tone to something like Princess Mononoke or even Spirited Away than, say, My Neighbour Totoro, so it could be bright and fun and whimsical while still being able to hold on to the darker elements that show up in the Zelda games. Breath of the Wild would probably be the best fit for a Zelda movie in this style, because the vast, sprawling world and multitude of characters and creatures would be perfect for the kind of worldbuilding that Miyazaki is known for.
An animated movie would work well because the Zelda games are already in an animated format and it would be less jarring to see the characters in that form than it would to have them suddenly be real people, and Miyazaki’s art style is similar enough to the pre-existing Zelda animation that it would work seamlessly.
If Nintendo ever decides to make one of their Legend of Zelda titles into a film, any one of these directors would be a fantastic choice to keep the tone and integrity of the story and bring it to life in a visually stunning way.
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