Highlights
- The success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie has fans wondering which childhood video game will be adapted next, with The Legend of Zelda being a popular choice. The rich history of Hyrule would make the writer's job easier.
- The most challenging aspect of adapting The Legend of Zelda is nailing down Link's character. As a silent protagonist, creating a series with him as the main character might be more difficult than fans expect.
- While having Link stay silent throughout the film, as he is in the games, may seem like a daunting task, a recent sci-fi movie shows that a silent protagonist is not only possible, but can act as a solid storytelling device.
After the success of the The Super Mario Bros. Movie with Chris Pratt and Jack Black, fans have been wondering what other childhood video game will get the big screen treatment. Alongside Mario, the most notable character is Link from The Legend of Zelda. That's an interesting property to adapt because it could be live-action or animated. Either way, fans would be happy to see their favorite heroic elf on the big screen. The world of Hyrule comes with a rich history that would make any writer's job easier.
The most difficult part would actually be nailing down Link's character. As simple as he might seem in all the games, game developers have largely relied on fans putting themselves in his shoes and considering their personality while playing as Link. He's what's known as a silent protagonist, a character who doesn't speak at all and this remains true throughout every iteration of Link in every Legend of Zelda game. Creating a series with him as the main character might be more difficult than fans expect. However, at least one movie showed it's possible.
A Half-Life Adaptation Would Have To Overcome A Major Obstacle
If Half-Life is ever adapted for the screen, the writers and producers have some serious work ahead of them to appease fans.
The Legend of Zelda Movie is Still Just a Rumor
Between Universal potentially eyeing an adaptation of The Legend of Zelda and Netflix once considering an adaptation, there's nothing concrete about a Legend of Zelda movie happening. Everything has been and remains rumors started from "reliable sources" on the app formerly known as Twitter. It might not be at the top of any studio head's mind, but fans see all the potential for such a movie. From Ocarina of Time to Tears of the Kingdom, there's no shortage of material for filmmakers to pull from.
Breath of the Wild might be the obvious choice for an adaptation as it has one of the more straightforward stories. More than that, it contains a detailed map Hyrule. A live-action adaptation could take many different forms, too. It could be a series of movies that adapts the different games to make them fit sequentially, or it can take the shape of an anthology TV series. As long as the character isn't a bumbling fool much like the '80s cartoon version was, The Legend of Zelda is ripe for adaptation.
Link has (Mostly) Been a Silent Protagonist
Besides some screams and shouts, Link doesn't say much of anything throughout any of his games. He's not the only silent protagonist out there either. He joins the likes of Gordon Freeman from Half-Life, Chell from Portal, and the playable character from Grand Theft Auto III. Link's in good company. Until The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, there was never a canon reason for Link to remain silent. Gamers assumed the developers wanted to focus more on the world around him or allow the players to imprint their personality upon him. According to Zelda, Link doesn't want to burden anyone else with the weight he carries.
It's impressive that Link has gone so long as a silent protagonist, especially when characters such as Navi and Zelda speak directly to him so often. They'll have a whole entire conversation with the hero, and he doesn't say a single word. Yet, Link remains one of the most impactful and influential video game characters in the industry. The fact that Link doesn't speak any dialogue led some to consider the possibility that Zelda would lead any live-action adaptation. It makes some sense, seeing as how it's The Legend of Zelda series. It's difficult for many to fathom how a movie would focus on a character who doesn't talk.
No One Will Save You Showed how to Have a Hero who Never Speaks
Enter No One Will Save You. This was a science fiction movie released in September 2023 on Hulu that took many by surprise. Not only did the ending throw a twist at the audience they weren't expecting, but the main character doesn't say much of anything. She speaks two lines of dialogue in the entirety of the film, and those two lines are to herself. If a Legend of Zelda movie hopes to keep Link quiet throughout the movie, it best take a page from this movie and consult writer/director Brian Duffield.
Brynn isn't silent in the movie out of any misguided vow of silence or code of honor. She simply lives alone as a pariah in the middle of nowhere. Her neighbors shun her for actions she committed as a teenager. They leave her alone, and she leaves them alone as best as she can. She travels into town every once in a while for necessities but avoids any unnecessary conversation. Keeping Link faithful to the source material might prove more difficult since he's somebody everyone talks to. It wouldn't be hard giving Link a vow of silence in order to accomplish this, though.