The live-action Legend of Zelda movie won’t be “like Lord of the Rings,” says director Wes Ball. In November 2023, Nintendo announced they are developing a live-action Legend of Zelda movie centered on the sword and shield-wielding Elf-like protagonist, Link. Jurassic World‘s Derek Connolly is writing the script while Wes Ball, best known for directing the Maze Runner trilogy, has signed on to helm the live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda, a video game series that spans more than 25 installments since 1986.
During a recent discussion with Entertainment Weekly, Ball teased his vision for the live-action Legend of Zelda movie. The director says it “isn’t like Lord of the Rings” and instead, Ball compared his vision to a live-action Hayao Miyazaki movie. Ball went on to detail his intense passion for the beloved Nintendo video game series. Read his full comments below:
This awesome fantasy-adventure movie that isn’t like Lord of the Rings, it’s its own thing. I’ve always said, I would love to see a live-action Miyazaki. That wonder and whimsy that he brings to things, I would love to see something like that… It’s going to be awesome. My whole life has led up to this moment. I grew up on Zelda and it is the most important property, I think, that’s untapped IP, if you will. So we very much are working hard to do something. We’re not just trying to do it because we can. We want to make something really special.
What To Expect From The Live-Action Legend Of Zelda Movie
Under Ball’s creative vision, the Legend of Zelda movie won’t be an epic à la Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. Instead, the director describes his vision as “a live-action Miyazaki” movie. A co-founder of Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki is the legendary director behind the animated Japanese movies Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and many more.
Miyazaki is an unexpected comparison considering he is one of the most accomplished filmmakers in the history of animation, while the Legend of Zelda movie will be live-action. However, Ball was referring to the “wonder and whimsy” of Miyazaki’s movies that he will try to emulate. Ball’s vision is in line with the tone established by the video games, which are whimsical and lighthearted with an emphasis on adventure and exploration.
Why Legend Of Zelda’s Live-Action Movie Needs To Break The Games’ Timeline
The live-action The Legend of Zelda has plenty of games it can adapt, but the movie should break the timeline if it really wants to succeed.
Ball has long dreamed of making a Legend of Zelda movie, and after he was announced as the director, an old tweet of his resurfaced. In 2010, after seeing James Cameron’s Avatar, Ball declared “the next big mo-cap Avatar-like movie should be… The Legend of Zelda.” While much about the live-action Legend of Zelda movie remains unknown, Ball’s creative vision has clearly been taking shape for years.
