The Legend of Zelda movie director Wes Ball has outlined his vision for the live-action feature, saying he wants to make a "serious" adaptation that feels "real" to audiences.
Ball, who is known for the Maze Runner trilogy and the upcoming Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, touched on his ambitions for Nintendo's planned The Legend of Zelda movie during an interview with Total Film, saying that he knows how important the franchise is to fans and wants to provide an "escape" for them.
"I've been thinking about it for a long freakin' time," Ball said (and he isn't bluffing as he first shared his wishes to direct a Zelda movie in 2010). "I want to fulfil people's greatest desires. I know it's important, this [Zelda] franchise, to people, and I want it to be a serious movie. A real movie that can give people an escape."
Ball admits that, if he could, he would "live" in the legendary world of Zelda, so when it comes to making the live-action movie, he hopes to create something that seems tangible, with lots of qualities audiences will enjoy, asserting it has "to feel like something real. Something serious and cool but fun and whimsical."
Nintendo announced plans to create a live-action The Legend of Zelda movie in partnership with Sony Pictures last November. Details on how it will build on the gaming company's hit world of wisdom, courage, and power are mostly a mystery, though Ball previously suggested he would love to see it as "a live-action Miyazaki."
Shigeru Miyamoto, Legend of Zelda creator and representative director at Nintendo, will produce the film with Avi Arad, the producer of a wide array of movies including the Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, while Jurassic World writer Derek Connolly is reportedly handling the script for Zelda's jump to the big screen.
Fans are unsure how to feel about the live-action take, and it is currently unclear exactly which Zelda story the movie will adapt or whether it will be an all-new adventure. Nintendo may opt to explore the most recent and successful entries in the franchise, such as Breath of the Wild, especially if it would open the door to a sequel.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on X/Twitter @AdeleAnkers.
