Bringing Link to the big screen in the Legend of Zelda movie will be a challenge, but it also means a rare opportunity for some much-needed representation. Movie adaptations of video games are generally difficult to pull off, and Zelda‘s icon status means fans are likely to be even more critical of whatever makes it to theaters. Link himself won’t be easy to bring to live-action since the games leave his personality somewhat ambiguous, allowing players to come to their own conclusions about who he is. This is especially true since the Zelda hero has no overt dialogue throughout the games.
Link, the timeless hero of Hyrule, was first introduced in the 1986 video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System, The Legend of Zelda. The simple but challenging game gave the character little personality or defining qualities—he was simply a brave hero. This continued for several more titles until The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time introduced the first 3D version of Link in 1998. The Hero of Time’s personality was defined only by his various facial expressions, and the same has been true ever since. This presents a problem for the upcoming Legend of Zelda movie since it’s difficult to imagine a speaking Link. However, there may be a perfect solution.
8 Challenges The Live-Action Legend Of Zelda Movie Faces Bringing The Games To Life
With the live action The Legends of Zelda film already confirmed, there are a few challenges that must be overcome in order for it to be successful.
A Non-Verbal Link In The Zelda Movie Would Honor The Traditional Video Game Character
The idea of a speaking Link is slightly unsettling since he is typically regarded as the strong but silent hero. The 1989 animated Legend of Zelda TV series proved how catastrophic giving Link a voice can be. This version, voiced by Jonathan Potts, was loud, cocky, and a little silly—the complete opposite of the Link we are used to. The Legend of Zelda movie risks repeating this or distorting the character in other ways unless it embraces Link’s traditional lack of dialogue.
In the Zelda games, Link yells when fighting or falling off a cliff, but even in modern titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, in which other characters were voiced by actors for the first time, the hero has remained silent. The Zelda movie could continue this trend by making the live-action version of the character non-verbal. This would ensure that the film remains cohesive with the beloved video games and could also provide Hollywood with the rare opportunity for some non-verbal representation.
Link’s Character Is A Rare Opportunity For Non-Verbal Representation In Hollywood
There are several reasons that someone may be non-verbal, including trauma and autism, and the members of this community rarely see themselves represented on screen. This is especially true in the way of leading roles since a non-verbal character presents challenges regarding plot and execution. Additionally, not just any character—especially in the way of video game movie adaptations—could work as a non-verbal protagonist. However, since Link is already traditionally silent, and a significant concern for the Zelda movie is how director Wes Ball would manage this, it makes sense for the film to embrace the opportunity.
Of course, this isn’t to say that Link wouldn’t communicate at all in the Legend of Zelda movie. Non-verbal individuals will often use their regional signed language (such as American Sign Language) or other manual communication methods. This could be interesting to explore in Hyrule. The fantasy kingdom already has its own alphabet, which die-hard fans have spent years learning to read. If Zelda director Wes Ball were to get a crew of non-verbal and Deaf individuals in on the project, a unique manual language could be developed for Link using the vocabulary of various signed languages—another excellent opportunity for representation.
A Non-Verbal Protagonist In The Zelda Movie Would Present Several Challenges
As great as it would be to see a non-verbal protagonist in a major film—one who also honors the traditional version of the character—this would come with several challenges. First, the Zelda movie would have the job of casting the right actor. It’s typically preferred that a character representing a minority group be portrayed by an actor who belongs to that community. Combined with the necessity to cast someone who pulls off Link’s androgynous appearance, this makes Ball’s job of finding the right Hero of Time like finding a needle in a haystack. Moreover, a non-verbal Link must be highly expressive—a tough job for any actor.
Additionally, a non-verbal Link isn’t a complete solution to all the problems of bringing the character to the screen. Link isn’t technically silent in the games, his dialogue is just implied. This allows players to decide for themselves how they think the character would answer questions or interact with Hyrule’s various citizens. Because of this, every Zelda fan has a different idea of who this character is, which means the Zelda movie can’t possibly please everyone. Those who see Link as someone who literally doesn’t speak may be happy with a non-verbal character in the Legend of Zelda movie, but there will still be those who feel the film doesn’t bring their own version of the character to life, no matter what.
