‘Legend Of Zelda’ Live-Action Pic In Works At Sony With Wes Ball Directing, Nintendo Co-Financing

Anthony D'Alessandro

7 November 2023 at 5:20 pm·2-min read

Sony is making sure its has its future theatrical franchises covered as the actors strike appears to be winding down: The studio is co-financing with Nintendo a live-action feature of popular videogame franchise The Legend of Zelda.

The Maze Runner franchise and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes filmmaker Wes Ball is directing.

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Derek Connolly (Jurassic World) is penning the adaptation. He’s repped by Verve. Ball is producing the movie with his producing partner Joe Hartwick Jr. under their Oddball Entertainment banner.

The videogame, created by the Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka, launched in 1986. It follows the elf-like warrior Link and elegant Princess Zelda as they fight to save the magical land of Hyrule from Ganon, an evil warlord-turned-demon king.

Nintendo saw huge success this spring with Illumination and Universal on The Super Mario Bros. Movie, an animated feature take of videogame franchise. It ranks as the second-highest-grossing pic of the year with $1.36 billion. More than 50% of Zelda will be funded by Nintendo, with Sony releasing theatrically worldwide.

The Legend of Zelda will be produced by Shigeru Miyamoto, Representative Director and Fellow of Nintendo and Avi Arad, Chairman of Arad Productions.

A release date has not been set.

Movies based on videogames, once unfertile IP for Hollywood at the box office, have blossomed in recent years. Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog Sega franchise has minted more than $725M worldwide, with a third film dated in December 2024.

As of September, the Legend of Zelda franchise has sold over 150 million units.

We hear a live-action take of The Legend of Zelda has been in the works for several years, with Arad being a linchpin to its delivery.

Sony had a big hit earlier this summer with Marvel’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse which has grossed over $690M.

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