It's the 40th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda, and while there was much to celebrate, it wouldn't be complete without an update on the upcoming video game adaptation on the way. To mark the occasion, Nintendo formally announced the highly anticipated movie's official title. However, I'm tempted to think the company was struggling with how it wanted to share that news, as the confirmation is surprisingly hilarious.
There hasn't been a ton of information about The Legend of Zelda movie, so I was originally thrilled to hear there would be an update. Then I read the three-line announcement that was sent out, and I couldn't help but bust out laughing:
The Live-Action Film of The Legend of Zelda, Releasing on April 30, 2027, Will Be Titled The Legend of Zelda.
Yep, that's it! The Legend of Zelda movie, which is what fans have generally been referring it to since it was first announced, will be called The Legend of Zelda. I do have to point out the release date was also given, but did we really need an official announcement for that name?
To be honest, I guess I'm a bit grateful. It's been so irksome to me that The Super Mario Bros. Movie franchise has the word "movie" at the end of every title, as if audiences don't know what they're about to see. Of course, that's likely done to help distinguish it from the terrible live-action Super Mario movie, though I don't think many would mistake the two.
Zelda's title confirmation arrives fresh off reports that Samara Weaving has been cast as the Goddess Hylia. As of this writing, we've still yet to get a trailer or any kind of formal look at the film. However, there has been leaked set footage traveling the internet for some time.
With so many questions still surrounding The Legend of Zelda, it's hard to believe it's a movie that's coming out in a little over half a year. We know the director, Wes Ball, is a fan and which actors will be playing Link and some other key roles, in addition to the title of the movie. It's not even entirely clear at this stage whether Link will speak or not, which sounds surprising, but that is a big part of the games.
As silly as the latest announcement is, it does give me some mild concern that we're still so in the dark about many of the big details surrounding this movie. It doesn't feel like the level of hype warranted for one of Nintendo's biggest franchises, or a movie that can live up to the hype of an animated blockbuster that raked in a billion dollars. Not that I believe anyone is thinking this movie will pull in the same, but the vibe I get now is that the movie is actively being hidden from us.
Here's hoping for more substantial announcements in the near future, as The Legend of Zelda is on track to release on April 30th. I remain curious as to whether this movie will adapt the story of one of the games, or we'll be getting something entirely different.
