Topic: Crazy Zelda Idea

I’ve had this thought for a while, and I think it’d be really cool if it did happen.

The best Zelda game is supposedly BotW but everyone can agree on one thing- it has a bad story. So I think it would be cool if Nintendo remade the game, giving it a better story, but then released it as a movie.

Similar to the Detective Pikachu movie, it would be a theatrical release based off a specific game, with slight story differences.

I know Nintendo will never do this, but it would be cool none the less!

I think a lot of people would disagree with that actually. The story is nothing outstanding but in my opinion, piecing together the backstory of the game's events by finding memories is a pretty novel and interesting approach to a game narrative. I wouldn't be opposed to a film based on the game, as long as it's animated, but I'd probably rather see an original story for a Zelda movie. (That said, it probably wouldn't be worth it for all the inevitable discourse over whether it counts as canon)

Would Ryan Reynolds be Link or his magical companion?

Yes. And Danny Devito will be Tingle.

We could also have David Cross play Daruk.

To be perfectly honest, I agree with BabyYoshi12. The concept in and of itself was interesting, but the game very clearly sacrifices story for gameplay. Despite being major characters, I barely know anything about the Champions or other characters, and what little story we do get is practically told at the beginning of the game. Everything gets glossed over; how did the ancient Sheikah get to be so technoligically advanced? Why did that fall out of use? What happened to the tribes immediately after the calamity? Did no one think of trying to rebuild an army or anything in 100 years? Did the champions get picked for any particular reason? Did no one ever think to break into one of the shrines? Why were the shrines not previously explored? Why are the divine beasts only being a problem for the tribes now after a 100 years? Etcetera. None of this ever get explored, as the game tries to regulate the story to about 30 minutes worth of actual cutscenes/events.

I know some may argue that it is pointless fluff,and indeed, games don't neccessarily need good story to be good, but it can be disappointing that not much seems to happen that actually means anything.

I think the lack of story makes the world a little more mysterious. They could always do better, but I wouldn't call it bad.

I'm all for a movie. Something that expands the lore without retelling the story of the game.

@MS7000 @Dogorilla I haven’t played the game, but I hear the story isn’t great. I feel like the movie would make the game more appealing to people like me who really care about the story.

I thought the story was quite compelling overall. It's easily the saddest of any Zelda game - like Bambi/Lion King-level sad. You learn early on about the champions that were murdered by Calamity Ganon, who include Link’s fiancée (arguably the first time he’s actually had a real love interest) and his closest friends. Link doesn’t remember anything about them but their stories are gradually revealed over the course of the game (culminating in the very touching Champion’s Ballad, the finale of which made me choke up). I’d be surprised if Iwata’s death didn’t inspire the team to make the story especially tragic.

Zelda’s character development is interesting as well. She is initially resentful of Link, but gradually warms up to him and he is eventually the only person alive that she truly cares about, which allows her to discover her power just in time to save him. We also see her conflicted over being more interested in the technology than in discovering her power, which plays out in her relationship with others (most notably her father). A much more three-dimensional character than previous incarnations. The memories are a clever way of revealing the story, though you have to watch them in order after you get all of them. It’s completely optional rather than forced down your throat, which is good for subsequent playthroughs. You really don’t need the Great Deku tree to explain the Triforce five times or go through Twilight Princess’s opening over and over again (the bad acid trip scene is an exception though, that one will never get old lol). The story isn’t perfect by any stretch (Calamity Ganon is easily the weakest villain out of any 3D Zelda for example) but people are a lot harder on it than is reasonable.

As for the movie, really the only way I could let those awful people in Hollywood lay a finger on something as beloved as the Legend of Zelda would be if they brought back Robin Williams back from the dead and let him play Ganondorf.

@MS7000 The Champion's Ballad gives you a lot more backstory for each champion and lets you play through some of the feats that they had to do in order to become champions.

@BabyYoshi12 you owe it to yourself to play it someday. It's brilliant. It may not have much narrative compared to contemporary games but that doesnt mean there won't be memorable events or characters.

I'll never forget my battle with a golden lyonel in the colosseum ruins on master quest. I was running low on weapons but after several perfect dodges in a row it fell. I saved it as a video on my switch and I watch it every now and then.

@BabyYoshi12 Honestly I think a better idea for Zelda would be to stretch an overarching story across a film trilogy Star Wars or LotR style. If they go the Castlevania route then a potential Netflix series could possibly dedicate each season to a specific time period focusing on a particular Link, Zelda and Ganon incarnation to adapt various game stories from Zelda lore.

@BabyYoshi12 BotW doesn't have a "bad" story, it just has a minimalistic one. Personally, I prefer the interesting backstory and character interactions in Breath over the gamey "FIND THE FIVE MACGUFFINS TO AWAKEN THE FIVE SAGES" nonsense of previous Zelda titles.

The truth is that Zelda games almost never have good stories. Nintendo broadly isn't interested in telling stories, and most Zelda plots are just a way for them to string together a series of setpieces, boss battles, and dungeons into a coherent journey.

I'm usually not a fan of video games being adapted to movies, mainly because of their past track record. Most of them range from mediocre to terrible. Although I have heard The Witcher and Castlevania Netflix shows are alright.

I don't think the story is the main draw to Zelda games anyway, so I don't think it really needs a movie. At least personally, the exploration and puzzles are what draw me in. Pretty much all the games boil down to "evil person creating chaos, go to dungeons to collect key items to stop them", with a bit of extra flavor text throw in. If anything I thought Breath of the Wild did a great job at throwing in a lot subtle lore that adds together to create an immersive and interesting world. Zeltik is a youtuber I watch and he makes great videos talking about tons of hidden lore details and theories that most people wouldn't notice.

I think the Witcher video game series and the Netflix show are both based on a series of novels. The show isn't meant to be based on the game.

@Euler Was it confirmed that Link and Mipha were engaged? As far as I know, Mipha made the armour for Link which is normally made for a partner-to-be, but I think of it like the equivalent of Ruto giving Link the Zora's Sapphire in Ocarina of Time; despite supposed connotations, ultimately not a sign of anything with the slight possibility of unrequitted love.

I have played Champion's Ballad. Honestly, all I learned from them is that they are competent at fighting which is probably why they were chosen (since the game gives no other reason) but still learnt very little about the character themselves (I am convinced Mipha's was fodder for Sidon). Heck, it makes it more annoying that we don't get to see more of these characters; there designs are great but they seem so utterly unimportant in the grand scheme of things.

Zelda definitely gets the most development (about time too given the series name), but even then, I wanted to see more. The King feels like he could of been interesting if fleshed out more.

I guess my biggest problem is thar it feels like they had assembled a skeleton, and then stopped; no meat on the bone here. The story would be sad, but again, because I feel like I know so little, I ultimately find it hard to care. We have not spend an entire game with these characters, we spent about 45 minutes with them in a game that can last well over a hundred hours.

@BabyYoshi12 By all means, play it. Although far from my favourite Zelda game, it is still a mechanically good game with plenty to see and do.

Ah, good to know. Had no idea it started as a novel. I guess that sort of further proves my point, that not many good movies have come from video game adaptations.

@MS7000

Crazy ideas, huh ?

1. Dance Dance Revolution Zelda Mix
2. Para Para Paradise Zelda Mix
3. Cooking Zelda
4. Link Boxing: Kickboxer of the Wild
5. Secret Agent Link

@Cynas Firstly, The Witcher isn't a game series. The games themselves are based on a series of Polish novels. Secondly, yes Castlevania on Netflix is really good. Season 3 was great but Season 1 and 2 were spectacular

@damien33ad Thank god for Youtubers, without them we wouldn't know what to think or say on these subjective matters.