Nintendo recently made an announcement that a Legend of Zelda is officially happening. There’s not much known about it at this time other than that it will be a collaboration between Nintendo and Sony Pictures, is set to be directed by Wes Ball, and that it will be in live action. Not only is Sony Pictures being the ones to handle a Legend of Zelda film a bizarre thought, but it’s hard not to think that it would be better if it was animated.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a shining example of how video game adaptations can work in animation. It became one of the highest grossing animated films of all time. One would think that Nintendo would want to follow a similar formula for their other biggest franchise, The Legend of Zelda. It’s really strange to go in a different direction after hitting so much success with their previous movie.

Animation as a medium allows for things that are much more difficult to accomplish in live action. Characters can bend and stretch in ways that real people cannot, and creatures and imaginative worlds can feel much more whimsical. Obviously, The Last of Us worked well in live action, but the characters are regular people, not evil wizards or fantastical beings. The Legend of Zelda video games are already animated, with a couple using modern animation styles. Those can serve as the blueprint for the movie, similar to what was done with The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

If anything, an animated series would probably be the best medium for an adaptation of The Legend of Zelda, with each episode being a different quest or dungeon. A movie about finding the Triforce, defeating Ganon, and rescuing Zelda could make for a great fantasy epic, though. They would just be able to do more, and it would probably be more fitting, if that movie was animated. It’s okay for the definitive adaptation of something to be animated; not everything needs to be done in live action.

Sonic the Hedgehog and Detective Pikachu both proved that something more cartoony can be done well in live action, so there’s certainly still hope. A live action Legend of Zelda movie can absolutely be great. It’s just hard not to think about what they’d be able to accomplish in animation. 

Something that is notable and rather unfortunate, though, is that the potential for a Nintendo/Super Smash Bros. cinematic universe may be gone. It’s doubtful that animated and live action movies from different studios will be crossing over any time soon. It’s safe to say that was something a lot of fans were hoping for with the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

With all that being said, only time will tell if this is the right path to take for a movie based on The Legend of Zelda. Maybe once we see some cast announcements, shots of the sets, and the first teaser trailer, we’ll get more of an idea of what they’re going for. Until then, it’ll be hard not to wish this upcoming film would be animated instead.

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