Just a few months removed from The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Universal and Illumination are close to finalizing a deal with Nintendo to create a Legend of Zelda movie, according to Hollywood insider Jeff Sneider on The Hot Mic podcast (via Consequence). Sneider said that Universal Pictures is closing a “big deal” that will soon be made official, and it will cost Universal a “pretty penny” due to the overwhelming financial success of the Mario movie.
“I’m told that Universal is, in fact, closing a ‘big deal’ with the Nintendo corporation for The Legend of Zelda rights,” he said. “Zelda is looking like the next big Illumination-Nintendo franchise, which, again, I think, we were all sort of expecting, but yeah, I’m told that is happening.”
Following The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s massive success, it is anything but a surprise to see Nintendo pursuing additional movies based on its list of historic gaming properties. If the deal is real and goes through, the question remains: How will they pull it off? The Legend of Zelda has featured a notoriously silent protagonist in Link since the series began in the ‘80s. If a movie is to happen at Illumination, nailing a voice for Link might be its greatest challenge.
Which iteration of Link and Zelda would The Legend of Zelda movie follow? Would the film take place in the Breath of the Wild / Tears of the Kingdom Hyrule that fans have seen most recently, would the movie take things back to that original story, or will we see something completely new? Time will tell.
News that a The Legend of Zelda movie may be on the way with Universal and Illumination is no doubt exciting, but it’s important not to get your hopes up for a Super Smash Bros. cinematic universe just yet. Stay tuned for any updates as the alleged deal hopefully moves forward. In the meantime, you can hear the full relevant discussion cued up in the embedded video below.
