Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Forget ‘Ocarina of Time’, Nintendo’s ‘Zelda’ Movie Needs to Pull From a Different Game
Collider argues that Nintendo’s live-action The Legend of Zelda film should draw its overall fantasy framework from Ocarina of Time while giving Ganondorf the greater depth associated with The Wind Waker. The film is confirmed to tell an original story, so the article says it should borrow themes and character elements rather than attempt a direct adaptation.
Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Bo Bragason will play Link and Zelda, with Uli Latukefu cast as Ganondorf; Yvonne Strahovski and Sam Neill have undisclosed roles. Ocarina of Time offers familiar elements including Hyrule, the Triforce, Master Sword and a conflict in which Link and Zelda’s actions enable Ganondorf’s rise, while The Wind Waker is presented as a stronger source for a more nuanced villain.
In short
- The article favours Ocarina’s world-building and Wind Waker’s Ganondorf.
- The Zelda film will tell an original story.
- Ganondorf’s character depth could be crucial to the adaptation.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Ocarina of Time provides the most iconic and recognisable framework for a live-action Zelda film, with its fully realised world-building, thematic depth, and proven narrative structure offering a solid foundation for an original story. Using this familiar framework allows filmmakers to innovate within an understood context, giving audiences recognisable elements like Hyrule and the Triforce whilst crafting something new, much as successful fantasy adaptations have done with established source material.
The case against
Drawing primarily from Ocarina of Time risks making the film feel derivative and overshadowed by the original game's cultural dominance, potentially limiting the movie's ability to establish its own distinct identity. An original story deserves a fresh approach rather than relying on the most well-trodden framework; other games offer equally rich thematic material with fewer preconceived expectations, allowing the film to stand as a genuine creative work rather than a live-action translation of an existing game.
Explained simply
The Legend of Zelda is a long-running Nintendo fantasy game series, usually set in the kingdom of Hyrule. Its stories often follow Link, a young hero, and Princess Zelda as they face Ganondorf, a powerful enemy seeking control of the kingdom and the Triforce, a magical relic.
The games tell different stories rather than one continuous account, and they have been adapted and reimagined in several ways. Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker are two entries in the series; the former features familiar elements such as the Master Sword, while the latter gives more context to Ganondorf’s motives. The film is planned as a new story, with Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link, Bo Bragason as Zelda and Uli Latukefu as Ganondorf.