Zelda Movie Needs to Be “Grounded” and “Real,” Director Says
Posted on May 03 2024 by Nick Miller
With Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes‘ promotional tour in full swing, Director Wes Ball has been making news for more than just the latest simian film. A big topic of discussion has been his next film project, The Legend of Zelda. Fans are clamoring for information and every publication wants to be the first to get the big scoop. Though details are limited, he has given fans some clues towards what to expect from Zelda‘s first big screen adaptation.
In a recent interview, Ball clarified some of the details of his vision for the Zelda movie. He told Polygon that doing the film entirely in mo-cap “probably isn’t his choice.” Ball explained that he wants the project to be “grounded” and “real.”
This comment comes in response to fan speculation on the presence of CGI in the Zelda film due to Ball’s Avatar inspirations and due to his work on films like Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and the now-cancelled MouseGuard — a fully CGI passion project and unfortunate casualty of Disney’s Fox acquisition.
Although Ball made it clear that he wants the Zelda movie to have more practical effects than his previous films, we shouldn’t expect CGI to be shunned entirely, as he previously commented that its use in films like Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was done out of necessity, saying that he doesn’t believe viewers would “accept man-in-suit make up today.” Fans should expect this sentiment to translate over to Zelda‘s non-human races as well.
As bits of information about the Zelda movie trickle out, the question on everyone’s mind is when we can expect to see this thing. Ball joked that “Nintendo will pop out of the bushes here and like yank [him] away” if he were to mention anything about a production schedule; so fans will have to wait awhile longer for word of a release date.
In an interview with The Direct, Ball described his attitude towards The Legend of Zelda and the upcoming movie, saying:
“We’re working on it. I think it’s gonna be great. Fans are gonna be happy. Legend of Zelda, to me, is one of the most important things ever in my life. You know, next to Star Wars. I’ve played Legend of Zelda throughout my childhood into my adulthood. You know what I mean? I am a fan. I am a fellow fan. I will go to the ends of the earth to make sure that it is the movie we all hope it will be.”
Those are high praises, placing Zelda in ranks with a multimedia juggernaut like Star Wars (especially considering Ball previously passed on a chance to work on Star Wars). Directing a Zelda movie has been a longtime dream for Ball, expressing his desire for a big screen adaptation for the Nintendo franchise as far back as 2010. As such, it seems that through all of these interviews, Ball just wants to reassure fans that the Zelda movie is in the hands of a fellow genuine fan with a passion for the IP.
So, what do you think? Are you confident in Wes Ball’s ability to direct a live-action Zelda movie? Do you find the words “grounded” and “real” encouraging? Have any of Ball’s comments during this press tour alleviated any of your concerns regarding the Zelda movie? Let us know in the comments.
Source: Polygon, The Direct
Nick is a writer for Zelda Dungeon and a longtime fan of the Zelda franchise. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, archery, skateboarding, and some good ol’ fashioned family time. He’s an advocate for physical media and an avid video game collector. His favorite Zelda game is Ocarina of Time, though Breath of the Wild and the Link’s Awakening remake are close contenders. His other favorite video games series include Kingdom Hearts, Fallout, and Ratchet & Clank.
