The Kyoto-based company wasted no time in making its new app profitable. Unveiled in yesterday's Direct, Nintendo Today is a new tool that lets you stay informed about the manufacturer's latest announcements and find upcoming releases on a dedicated calendar. Less than 24 hours after its rollout on iOS and Android, the information platform receives its first major revelation: the release date of the live-action Zelda film. The feature film co-produced by Nintendo and Sony Pictures (yes, it's an unexpected alliance) will debut in American and international theaters on Friday, March 26, 2027. The adaptation of the cult franchise could therefore arrive here as early as Wednesday, March 24, 2027. Since the success of Super Mario Bros. the Movie, Nintendo seems more motivated than ever to export its flagship universes to the big screen. Moreover, the mustachioed plumber and his friends from the Mushroom Kingdom will return to theaters just before Link, with Super Mario Bros. the Movie 2 scheduled for April 3, 2026. But where Mario benefits from the expertise of the animation studio Illumination to bring his colorful world to life, the live action exercise promises to be much riskier for the poor hero of Hyrule.
“A live-action Miyazaki“
In November 2023, Nintendo took everyone by surprise by announcing a feature film The Legend of Zelda. Following the success of the animated formula applied to the Mario franchise, everyone expected another animated film for Link, but it is not. The adventures of the hero of Hyrule will be captured in live action, under the direction of Wes Ball, a filmmaker best known for his work on the Maze Runner saga and New Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Fans were quick to express their fears, to which the director came up with the perfect counter-argument: comparing this project to “a live-action Miyazaki.” he declared at the time to Entertainment Weekly. “I grew up with Zelda and it's one of the most important franchises, I think, and one that was previously untapped in a way. That's why we're working hard to do something with it. We're not trying to do it just because we can. We want to do something really special.”
Short fan films and other fan art have often brought the Zelda universe closer to Studio Ghibli animation, and this effective combination hasn't gone unnoticed by Wes Ball. “This fantasy adventure film has nothing to do with The Lord of the Rings, it's a film in its own right. I've always said I'd love to see a live-action Miyazaki. I'd love to see something like that, to see how to capture the wonder and whimsy he brings to things.” In the absence of any additional footage or details, we can only take his word for it. But now that the release date is official, and not so far off, we shouldn't be long in finding out some essential information, starting with the film's casting. Fingers crossed that Hunter Schafer lands the role of the eponymous princess.
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