I agree! It’s such a natural fit I don’t know why it wasn’t Nintendo’s first choice. It would answer a lot of the questions I raised in my video. There’s a guy on TH-cam who has imagined a Ghibli Zelda art style and it’s beautiful. Even the musical styles are compatible. Maybe one day…
Ghibli inspired but still its own thing, its own art style. I don’t want to associate Zelda with anything else and if it is its own movie, then I want to to be original and I want it’s originality to captivate the masses just not Zelda fans. I also want it to awe-inspire Zelda fans and if it’s ghibli inspired we can already know what to expect which won’t have the same effect
@@strangerimage400 It's a good point. The film needs to exist on its own terms, and copying the art style of other films might actually be detrimental.
Link's big character moment should be when he just straight-up refuses to give up in a fight against unbeatable odds. He takes on Ganon/Ganondorf/Demise and gets beaten down. With effort, he's able to pick himself up and charge at his foe, but gets his sword parried out of his grip and kicked down to the ground again. He struggles to his feet again, eyes locked on his target, burning with unwavering determination. He grabs his sword and pushes forwards, clashing swords, and quickly landing a cut on ganon's cheek, drawing blood. Enraged and a little unnerved, Ganon taps into the triforce of power and uses huge, hulking attacks against Link and his master sword, knocking him off balance, but Link's right back in the fight with no delay, becoming an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. Link's hand begins to glow with the light of the triforce of courage as he parries and weaves between Ganondorf's sword strikes, making it appear as if time were moving slowly. You see fear creep into Ganondorf/Demise/Ganon's eyes as his strikes are effortlessly struck away by Link's parries before Link finishes the fight with a decisive blow.
I love that you're already doing the fight choreography! Spoken like a true Zelda fan. I agree that overcoming unbeatable odds is a big part of Link's character.
For some reason the nostalgia hit me during this video, moreso than it usually does with Zelda. The music, the themes of cycle, a Link in the chain. There's something so emotional to me about youth taking up the mantle of hero, especially when they're only ONE of many in that role throughout the ages. Wind Waker for instance, I get the vibe he is thinking "REALLY?? ME??" but he wears his smile and his green tunic because he loves his sister. What a unique character Link is
I love that aspect of Link's character - that he's a recurring hero. The Song Of Time always makes me nostalgic for that reason, which is why I included it a bunch in the video. I hope the movie embraces that idea - has him return the master sword to pass on a legacy that is bigger than him.
Videos about LOTR: check Video about Zelda: check Digestible length: check Engaging, intelligent points (the actual content for which I am here for): check Entertaining editing: check Good microphone quality: check No foul language at all: check You've earned a subscriber
@@theartofstorytelling1 you're welcome! I'm also open to longer videos as well, but the 10 minute ones don't feel like much of a commitment so I'm more apt to go ahead and immediately click. I also thought your video on the politics within the Star Wars universe to be quite insightful and didn't really consciously realize that was one of the (many) reasons why there wasn't much gravitas in the newer trilogy
@@williampadgett1 Thanks! I'm always very curious what kind of runtimes are optimal for the content I'm making. It's funny you mention Star Wars cause that's what I'm working on next - an exploration of canon, mythology, and the current "crisis" in the franchise. That one might actually end up being on the longer side, so we'll see if people like it. Thanks for watching!
I would like to have Link be a mute, who occasionally communicates by playing an instrument. That way they don't have to give him a definitive "voice".
Your description of how the Zelda movie could go changed my mind: this actually CAN end up being a good movie. Even if it's live action instead of animated like it should have been.
I think a trilogy would be a natural choice. It gives you more time to flesh out the world with its inhabitants and make the final battle with Ganondorf feel more substantial whilst giving more room for potential "dungeon"-like scenarios. Next to that of course the obvious thematic parallel with the three Goddesses. I think defeating Ganondorf in the first film would make a return feel cheap or less suspenseful. Or you would have to go about it the BotW/Tears of the Kingdom way. I'm currently working on my own manuscripts for a concept. Though whether it's picked up is a chance comes down in one of thousands, but I like to keep my chin up. One can dream!
That's awesome that you took up the challenge of writing this story yourself! A trilogy would be great - especially if they filmed them all back-to-back like LOTR. Do you have a specific plot and characters in mind?
@@theartofstorytelling1 Since Nintendo is adament on keeping things as secret as possible, I don't know if I can disclose too much. What I can say is that all the "ingredients" are there from the get go. However, I will be making this a unique timeline seperated from the games that combines various elements of different installment from the series. Sort of like how Marvel incorporates different storylines/characters in one cohesive narrative. The basis will be a sort Ocarina of Time/Link to the past esque structure. However, I still hope to convey some sense of nature and freedom along the way as my current focus is on the more mystic aspects of the series. Link will not be a silent protagonist, there will be family members and an arrey of colorful supporting characters that fill up some necesarry screentime. Expect to see familiar faces from as many games as possible with the exception of Majora's Mask and Link's Awakening. Though I might save those dream-like experiences, as they have future potential if the audience wills it. I would make that a more personal journey, where Link ventures away from Hyrule to find out what happened to his parents.
@@tompaauwe4565 Super cool. It's so interesting to hear from someone who's actually working on this. My assumption was the Nintendo would look to Ocarina Of Time as a main source of story inspiration, given its popularity, and the nostalgia factor. I'm glad to hear Link won't be silent - which would be weird haha. Too bad we have to wait so long to see the film, cause I know a lot of people are excited for it.
@ofstorytelling1 Well like I said, I'm not exactly on the team, but it would be a dream come true if I did. If only just a few of ideas of my screenplay could be incorporated, I'd jump through the roof of my home! For now I'll have to patiently work on my screenplay and hope nobody beats me to it. I've had it reviewed once by a professional and was quite grilled by the person who reviewed it. Which mostly was about the pacing, since I took things slow and I need to increase the agency of Link. (Since he's often tangled in affairs that go way above his punching weight) But it was helpful in truly seeing the weakspots for improvement. Now I feel more pumped than ever and I hope next time the review will be more positive and up to sniff because I really want create something that celebrates the series as a whole. I've always believed in the potential that Zelda would make a great live action cinematic epic for years before the news came out. (I'm so surprised that they're working with Sony of all people on this too! But they don't take unsolicited screenplays unfortunately and I don't really have any connections ^^'). At least I'm glad I already have bragging rights of being years ahead of my time since a lot of people claimed this would be impossible. It's not impossible, you just need the right people who care for it. Just look at what the One Piece live action did. If a series like that can be adapted, just about anything can!
What about Link's relationship with Zelda? They shouldn't part ways after combating Ganon. I would like to see all the hardships each have undergone have brought them together. While it shouldn't be a force nor a platonic , the romance between the two is not under the radar. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are the perfect example.
I agree. I think making the movie about a kid who starts off afraid (because you know, he’s a CHILD) but has to conquer his fear over the course of the story and BECOME the hero, BECOME worthy of the Triforce of Courage, is a great idea, and really hammers home the theme of courage. It also kinda plays into the themes of something like Ocarina of Time. The story of a kid who is forced to grow up, forced to leave childish things behind and become a hero. After all, courage isn’t the absence of fear, but being able to do the right thing in spite of fear.
I'd say it would be a no-brainer to make link weak and fearful in the beginning, since one part of the Triforce is literally called the Triforce of Courage, opposite to his starting personality Since movies like to do a lot of origin stories, I'd be interested in seeing the first hero's adventure that preceded Skyward Sword
I've just binge watched half of your videos and they are so brilliant I had to make this account just to leave a comment. I've really loved how you relate existing works to story structures like the heroes journey here and the three act structure in your foreshadowing video! Plus the explanation behind what makes great stories like The Lion King work. Would love to see more like these, super valuable as someone trying to write their own stories. Thank you!
Here are my suggestions for the Legend of Zelda movie: -History of Hyrule, the Goddess Hylia, Demon King Demise, three Goddesses(Din, Nayru, and Farore) and the Triforce - Ganondorf as the main baddy with some more in depth into his character with better witting of his character. - Link x Princess Zelda's relationship ( a build up where they started out as friends at first until their bond grows even further as they become lovers as they are willing to sacrifice and love for each other over the course of their cinematic journey) - A young and unfamiliar cast for the role of Link and Zelda - Link’s inner struggle between being a Hero of Hyrule and his own happiness. - Link's own family like his grandmother, his uncle, father (a member of the Royal Guard) and his lil sister - Link's accurate role as he starts out as an energetic-overjoyed young lad until he becomes silent due to the daunting task destiny has been given him which forced him to remained silent. Although does talk since he is more opened to Zelda, he felt it was necessary to stay strong and to silent any burden. - Zelda’s dilemma of her role of sealing Ganon/Ganondorf away while she wants to forge her own path (as we have seen in Breath of the Wild); caught in between being what’s expected from society versus being who she wants to be. - Zelda being a companion to Link as she gives out some expositions and world buildings of Hyrules' lore. - An original story ( not a copy of Ocarina of Time, Breath of the Wild, or Tears of the Kingdom) that is well structured with it's own set of characters, a new version of Hyrule, and a epic action- fantasy with a dash of gritty realism that is build by confident writers.
I especially agree with your idea of having a young and unknown cast. This is one of the reasons LOTR worked so well, and fantasy just really needs to feel like a strange and foreign world. A-list actors don't help with that.
@@theartofstorytelling1 At least I did learned from film class movies become successful due to the B-Film and unfamiliar cast of actor who are first timers. But what is important is that the story itself stays true to itself instead of a copy of any of the continuities like Ocarina of Time, Skyward Sword, or Breath of the Wild. And you still have yet to answer my question in regards to Link and Zelda’s relationship. Since director Wes Bell has taken inspiration from Hayao Miyazaki‘s Ghibili movies, their relationship show be a bit slow instead of a rush but give more of Zelda’s bond with Link grows from being his friend to expressing her romantic feelings for her Knight/hero as each are willingly to risk their lives for each other. And Miyazaki has history of strong women so I think it’s best to give Zelda her own adventures while being Link’s companion.
Thanks my dude. I checked out your channel - a fellow bass player! I also play. I've got a Hofner 500/1 and I want to incorporate in a video somehow - maybe something Beatles related.
I like the characterization of Link as an incorrigible scamp, a young man who wants to explore and push his boundaries and go where he shouldn't and basically just disrupts the peace of the people around him. "I'm gonna go find out what's in that hole." or "Why is the world like this?" are questions that character could ask that are equally on brand for the series and setting up the character well for an arc where he learns these things and comes back as a protector, who knows the world's complexity.
My idea is to have Link be mute as a way to represent his role as aplayer insert in thr games. While tricky to pull off, it could lead to some great storytelling and character moments. Link's main struggle would be feeling s of inadequacy and confusion from being thrust into the role of hero, but eventually come into his own as a hero and prove his worth to both himself and the kingdom. An idea I had for scene would revolve around Link playing the occarina as an escape, with him playing the song of healing as a way to ease his stress, while also implying he may have tried to cure his muteness in the past.
@@CordeliaWagner1999 Takashi Tezuka is stated in Club Nintendo to be inspired by Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books when he wrote the first two games and created the lore. Miyamoto stated that the Deku Scrub's beta name was Hobbit. Lastly, during the development of Twilight Princess, Aonuma said in an interview titled Make It 120 Percent Zelda, that they aimed to give the game world the large scope of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movie.
Honestly, we probably don't need an experimental story for this first film. Zelda games are, with the occasional exception, hero's journeys, and I agree that would be the best approach here.
Ngl i want something with the artstyle of each game to be more unique, rather than the average anime artstyle, kinda like if there was a oot movie they would make a oot artstyle
I don’t believe Link, as we know him from all the games, would be hesitant or not want to accept the responsibility to save Hyrule. Or want to goof off like Aang from Avatar. He’s always just sprung into action and that’s the heroism that captivated me. In my opinion he would have to be super likable, and the story would revolve around everyone around him. He would just be the embodiment of courage and his arc would have to do something with that and then get another major story arc alongside that.
Thanks for stopping by the channel and leaving a comment. I agree that Link needs to be likeable, and I think this is why it's so challenging to imagine his character arc. To me, he is the embodiment of courage like you say. He never falters or shies away from his quest. Can they write his character in a way that retains the spirit of his character, but also gives him an internal struggle? Or would that be overthinking and overcomplicating it?
I thiiink one could look at the manga for a little inspiration regarding Link's character arc and things like that. I own the Twilight Princess one and even though it was a bit strange at first I think it worked. Also: I think Twilight princess might be one of the ones to be more straight forward to adapt because he's not running around alone for much (because of midna) and (correct me if I'm wrong) you get at least some solid backstory as to who he is and some solid relationships to characters at home :D btw love the choclate chip analogy!
I was wondering how much material there was in terms of novels and manga. I'm sure there's got to be some stories ideas out there that just aren't in any of the main games. I agree that Twilight Princess had one of the most cohesive stories, and Midna is actually a really interesting character (more suitable for a film than something like Navi, for example). I hope we hear more about the plan for the film and Link's character soon! Will be interesting to see if this video turns out totally wrong lol.
@@theartofstorytelling1 I have seen a link to the past has a manga, ocarina of time (about 400 page or something) and twilight princess had one (I think it could be on going still). Skyword Sword might have one somewhere, but I couldn't find it. I just have the first pages with the origin story of the hyrule flying islands that were in some edition of hyrulia historia back in 2018 it was i believe. They are not canon I believe also because if i remember correctly the skeleton hero from tp was outed as there hero of time there and link had some connections to the royal knights and messed up when trying to pull the mastersword from a stone in the courtyard. (it's a bit foggy and I could be completely wrong so apologies if that's the case)
I know it's not canon, but in Hyrule Warriors, Link obtains the Master Sword about halfway through the story (a little earlier if you include the Wind Waker DLC or play either Legends or the Definitive Edition), and that makes him really cocky and overconfident. Cia then uses his inflated ego to create a horde of Dark Links, making him realize that he overestimated his own power. Most of that is only told in the pre-mission synopsis of the mission immediately after the Master Sword is first obtained, but it still provides substance to a character that otherwise is meant to be a blank slate, and in a way that feels natural for a Zelda game no less. Even if it isn't canon, as I said before. So that's the kind of conflict I'd like to see in the Zelda movie. Link being too confident in his abilities and getting brought back down to earth when he sees he's not as good as he thought. Maybe his overly cocky disposition makes the Master Sword see him as an unworthy Master until he learns that he shouldn't underestimate his foes or overestimate his own capabilities, accepting that he's a normal person just the same as anyone else.
That's an interesting perspective that I hadn't considered, but hubris is actually a common character flaw among classic heroes. Could totally work for Link, given that confidence is a big part of his character. I also agree that dark link is a good path to take. It recurs in so many Zelda games. Even Wolf Link is a kind of darker version of himself. There's so many "dark reflections" in the games - the world of twilight, the mini boss in the Water Temple in Ocarina Of Time, the Dark World in Link To The Past. In that case, Link literally looks in a MIRROR to traverse to that world. It just seems like a major theme that, if I had to bet money, I'd say the writers will look to for inspiration.
@@the_flipside_world Yeah, but it's only DLC in the original Wii U version, it was built into the base game for HW Legends (3DS) and the Definitive Edition (NX/Switch). All the DLC from both Wii U and 3DS was built into Definitive Edition, and the Adventure Mode map is slightly different on NX as a result.
@@theartofstorytelling1 Very true, Nintendo does seem to have a thing for the "evil doppelgänger" trope. Shadow Mario, Dark Samus, Dark Pit, and Anti-Kirby, just to name a few. Edit: I meant Dark Kirby from Amazing Mirror, but I just remembered that Dark Kirby turned out to be a good guy all along. The only real enemy was Dark Meta Knight, who does follow that trope, so I say Amazing Mirror still applies.
I don't think there are a lot of modern writers / filmmakers who could capture the essence of the main games, especially when it comes to themes and subtext. The N64 titles especially and BOTW have a lot of nuance and maturity in what they choose to communicate - and how - and I'm really afraid this will go over the head of whoever's in charge of doing this movie. Plus, doing this in live action is sure to be off-putting for an audience that's been dreaming of an animated Zelda film for 20+ years. All this to say, I'm not expecting a homerun from Sony here....
I think the problem of just trying to adapt Zelda into a classic "Hero's Journey" is it will feel incredibly cliché and boring, plus it will probably turn into 1 of the million movies in which they try to do all of this in 90 minutes, feeling "rushed". No time to get to like the characters, no time to care for them, just one step of the journey happening right after the other until you complete de 90minutes of the movie. I do not have an answer to what they SHOULD do, but I believe if they go for this classic approach, and all in a single movie, it will be an absolute failure.
Yeah I can already picture the movie starting with Link's everyday life and ending with him defeating some incarnation of Ganondorf with Zelda's help, and it obviously feels incredibly boring. The only reason the games can get away with it is because the gameplay and presentation are usually very refreshing, and you have agency over the adventure itself, but even then it's getting old and they can't always pull it off. I can't imagine the movie going this route. These tropes are way too overdone and "easy". Wouldn't work in film format imo. Plus, I'll probably die of cringe when he breaks a pot a winks at the viewers (we all know they'll do it).
I don't think the Link from the 1989 cartoon is an insufferable jerk. I think he's an ill mannered peasant, or started off as one. Until he moved into Zelda's castle, he's never been taught to have proper manners, and as an adventuring hero, he doesn't see the point of proper manners. He's brutally honest about what he wants, which is off putting to Zelda who was taught proper manners. This Link also has flaws, which is another thing you'd have to expect from a linear narrative that actually has to flesh out his character. Aside from bad manners, he's also a bit on the lazy side when it comes to chores... although why the guy hired to protect the Triforce has to do cleaning chores outside the room where the Triforce is kept when the castle has a cleaning staff is a question my kid self would likely never have asked. Contrast Twilight Princess Link and Breath of the Wild Link, both of whom were members of their respective communities who wouldn't have tolerated cartoon Link's boorish behavior. So with that in mind, I suspect a movie Link's personality is going to depend on the details of his upbringing. I wouldn't mind a helpful but still brutally honest Link who doesn't understand the point of good manners.
I don't think this is that hard. Zelda is ideal for a lore adaptation. Meaning the writers have a basic framework they just have to flesh out. The thing Castlevania did.
Yes you're right! I cite Vogler instead of Campbell for a couple reasons. One, I want to do a video focused specifically on Joseph Campbell in the near future, and I'd like to give his ideas a proper analysis and explanation. Two, Campbell's description of the hero's journey has 17 steps, and for this video, I felt that was too granular for the Zelda example. Vogler's version (developed for internal use at Disney) reduces the journey to 12 steps, which felt more manageable in this case. This is why I say Vogler "developed" the hero's journey, rather than "created" it, though on reflection I can see how that word is slightly misleading. Maybe should have mentioned Campbell just to clarify this.
No worries! I wasn't trying to criticize. I was just caught of guard by the reference and was curious why you mentioned him. Thank you for the response!
@@matthewleonmartin For sure, I most certainly welcome comments, even if there is criticism (recognizing that's not your intent). One thing I'm realizing with this channel (which is very new) is that Campbell is probably going to come up a lot haha. So I need to be careful about how often I reference him, or it will always be about him. I'm actually just re-reading Hero With A Thousand Faces now to try and get more closely acquainted with his ideas. Thanks for stopping by the channel and I hope you'll stay for more!
Link has to skip the refusal step. I don’t care how integral it is to the narrative structure of the heroes journey. A big part of his character is that he is just that guy. He exists as a character for a player who naturally wants to go be heroic and explore because why bother even playing the games and that really needs to be present in any film adaptation. Also live action is an awful choice for such a colorful world with goofy looking characters
OK, I'll bet something: that's not what we'll have. Here's my try at a Nostradamus' guess (I'll come back to it when the movie gets out). I'll try 20 points. See how many points I get: 1 - Zelda will be the focus of the movie, but will not have a character arc because she will be flawless from the get go. 2 - She will be this multi-talented (from physical and mental standpoint), culturaly superior, a bit cynicall, soon to be queen. 3 - She will not be kidnapped by Ganon. Her father, the king, will be imprisonned by Ganon causing her to flee the castle (by her own means). 4 - She will take shelter in the Kokiri forest. There she will meet this bumbling man-child that is Link. 5 - She'll see a physical peculiar trait on Link (a birthmark, a tatoo shaped in a triangle), and it will remind her of a prophecy she read in her studies. 6 - She will have Link come with her to fetch a McGuffin (Sword, Triforce, etc... you name it), and on the path she will try to train him to become a hero. Adventures ensues. 7 - Link will be mostly the butt of every joke and virtually do nothing by himself to advance the plot or resolve anything (except on the final climax where he "becomes a hero" by defeating Ganon, but not without a big helping push from Zelda) 8 - The setting will be another version of Hyrule (another time-branch to add to the timeline), but will have fan service objects, characters from EACH and EVERY games from the series... 9 - ... (even the Cd-i ones, played for laughs) 10 - Link will have to dress up as a girl at one point (most likely to enter the Gerudo Fortress), and will be hit on by a drunk guard or something. 11 - Link will talk A LOT. At one point Zelda will say "I wish you could shut up for a second" or something of that effect. 12 - The action scenes and fight coregraphy will be sparse, formulaic, badly edited and way too short to be enjoyed. 13 - The director will be a yes man (like Tim Story, Peyton Reed, Mark Webb, nowadays Guy Ritchie, etc...), or someone for whom it's the second or third film. 14 - Jack Black will be cast in it, maybe as the King... most likely as the king of the Zoras. 15 - Navi (or any following fairy) will be met randomly in the first third of the movie and will tag along, but won't do anything worthy beyond being a comic relief character (maybe with an outlandish personality trait, like overly angry all the time). 16 - Link will drop its sword at one point of the movie for comedic effect. 17 - The movie will be way too short (under 2 hours for sure) and feel rushed as heck. 18 - NOTHING original or noteworthy will come from it on a directorial/mise-en-scene standpoint. Cookie cutter framing, editing, photography. The safest the better. 19 - They'll try to give Ganondorf an overcomplicated backstory to explain why he's so evil. 20 - Somehow, every character will be visually close to the way they are portrayed in the games... except this one! (don't know which one yet, but there will be one character that clashes with the overall aesthetics of the series). I sincerely hope I'm wrong on most of these points. I also hope they get Willem Dafoe to play Ganondorf, but hey, on this one I'm convinced it won't happen.
I think the movie needs to have link as a supporting character to zelda in the story. Link's internal flaw should be a hero complex, being the chosen one and needing to do everything alone to protect others
That makes sense. I've always wondered if Nintendo would give us a playable Zelda as the main character of a game. Honestly I thought the sequel to BoTW would be that for sure. But I was wrong. Might make sense for her to be the star of the film.
As a fan who's already apprehensive and biased against the idea about the mobie because It'll be live action instead of animated. All I could ask for is that the sense of adventure and overwheling intimidation of Gannon is there. As for how I'd like for Link to be potrayed I think they could look to the multiple Manga adaptations of each of the Zelda games and take inspiration from those Link's characteristics/charactizations. Specifically Majora's mask for the more adventurous version of Link or Twilight Princess (my favorite version) for the more well arounded.
A Ghibli Legend of Zelda would make me so happy
I agree! It’s such a natural fit I don’t know why it wasn’t Nintendo’s first choice. It would answer a lot of the questions I raised in my video. There’s a guy on TH-cam who has imagined a Ghibli Zelda art style and it’s beautiful. Even the musical styles are compatible. Maybe one day…
Ghibli inspired but still its own thing, its own art style. I don’t want to associate Zelda with anything else and if it is its own movie, then I want to to be original and I want it’s originality to captivate the masses just not Zelda fans. I also want it to awe-inspire Zelda fans and if it’s ghibli inspired we can already know what to expect which won’t have the same effect
@@strangerimage400 It's a good point. The film needs to exist on its own terms, and copying the art style of other films might actually be detrimental.
A Lord of the Rings-style live action movie is more fitting.
Life Action is the worst choice.
Anime would be perfect.
Link's big character moment should be when he just straight-up refuses to give up in a fight against unbeatable odds. He takes on Ganon/Ganondorf/Demise and gets beaten down. With effort, he's able to pick himself up and charge at his foe, but gets his sword parried out of his grip and kicked down to the ground again. He struggles to his feet again, eyes locked on his target, burning with unwavering determination. He grabs his sword and pushes forwards, clashing swords, and quickly landing a cut on ganon's cheek, drawing blood. Enraged and a little unnerved, Ganon taps into the triforce of power and uses huge, hulking attacks against Link and his master sword, knocking him off balance, but Link's right back in the fight with no delay, becoming an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. Link's hand begins to glow with the light of the triforce of courage as he parries and weaves between Ganondorf's sword strikes, making it appear as if time were moving slowly. You see fear creep into Ganondorf/Demise/Ganon's eyes as his strikes are effortlessly struck away by Link's parries before Link finishes the fight with a decisive blow.
I love that you're already doing the fight choreography! Spoken like a true Zelda fan. I agree that overcoming unbeatable odds is a big part of Link's character.
For some reason the nostalgia hit me during this video, moreso than it usually does with Zelda. The music, the themes of cycle, a Link in the chain. There's something so emotional to me about youth taking up the mantle of hero, especially when they're only ONE of many in that role throughout the ages. Wind Waker for instance, I get the vibe he is thinking "REALLY?? ME??" but he wears his smile and his green tunic because he loves his sister. What a unique character Link is
I love that aspect of Link's character - that he's a recurring hero. The Song Of Time always makes me nostalgic for that reason, which is why I included it a bunch in the video. I hope the movie embraces that idea - has him return the master sword to pass on a legacy that is bigger than him.
You get a glimpse into his attitude from question responses.
"You aren't one of Ganondorf's servants, are you?"
"What if I am?"
I always found that Princess Mononoke feels like a good template for a Zelda too.
I don't care what Nintendo wants to tell people. "Ex-Cuuuuuuse me Princess" is full canon.
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Thanks friend! You've listed all the things I'm hoping to get across with this channel, so thanks for your support and kinds words.
@@theartofstorytelling1 you're welcome! I'm also open to longer videos as well, but the 10 minute ones don't feel like much of a commitment so I'm more apt to go ahead and immediately click. I also thought your video on the politics within the Star Wars universe to be quite insightful and didn't really consciously realize that was one of the (many) reasons why there wasn't much gravitas in the newer trilogy
@@williampadgett1 Thanks! I'm always very curious what kind of runtimes are optimal for the content I'm making. It's funny you mention Star Wars cause that's what I'm working on next - an exploration of canon, mythology, and the current "crisis" in the franchise. That one might actually end up being on the longer side, so we'll see if people like it. Thanks for watching!
Agree with all this - you've nailed it
I would like to have Link be a mute, who occasionally communicates by playing an instrument. That way they don't have to give him a definitive "voice".
It worked for The Thief and The Cobbler.
Wait actually no it didn’t, but it’s still a really neat idea!
Your description of how the Zelda movie could go changed my mind: this actually CAN end up being a good movie. Even if it's live action instead of animated like it should have been.
I think a trilogy would be a natural choice. It gives you more time to flesh out the world with its inhabitants and make the final battle with Ganondorf feel more substantial whilst giving more room for potential "dungeon"-like scenarios. Next to that of course the obvious thematic parallel with the three Goddesses. I think defeating Ganondorf in the first film would make a return feel cheap or less suspenseful. Or you would have to go about it the BotW/Tears of the Kingdom way. I'm currently working on my own manuscripts for a concept. Though whether it's picked up is a chance comes down in one of thousands, but I like to keep my chin up. One can dream!
That's awesome that you took up the challenge of writing this story yourself! A trilogy would be great - especially if they filmed them all back-to-back like LOTR. Do you have a specific plot and characters in mind?
@@theartofstorytelling1 Since Nintendo is adament on keeping things as secret as possible, I don't know if I can disclose too much. What I can say is that all the "ingredients" are there from the get go. However, I will be making this a unique timeline seperated from the games that combines various elements of different installment from the series. Sort of like how Marvel incorporates different storylines/characters in one cohesive narrative. The basis will be a sort Ocarina of Time/Link to the past esque structure. However, I still hope to convey some sense of nature and freedom along the way as my current focus is on the more mystic aspects of the series.
Link will not be a silent protagonist, there will be family members and an arrey of colorful supporting characters that fill up some necesarry screentime. Expect to see familiar faces from as many games as possible with the exception of Majora's Mask and Link's Awakening. Though I might save those dream-like experiences, as they have future potential if the audience wills it. I would make that a more personal journey, where Link ventures away from Hyrule to find out what happened to his parents.
@@tompaauwe4565 Super cool. It's so interesting to hear from someone who's actually working on this. My assumption was the Nintendo would look to Ocarina Of Time as a main source of story inspiration, given its popularity, and the nostalgia factor. I'm glad to hear Link won't be silent - which would be weird haha. Too bad we have to wait so long to see the film, cause I know a lot of people are excited for it.
@ofstorytelling1 Well like I said, I'm not exactly on the team, but it would be a dream come true if I did. If only just a few of ideas of my screenplay could be incorporated, I'd jump through the roof of my home! For now I'll have to patiently work on my screenplay and hope nobody beats me to it. I've had it reviewed once by a professional and was quite grilled by the person who reviewed it. Which mostly was about the pacing, since I took things slow and I need to increase the agency of Link. (Since he's often tangled in affairs that go way above his punching weight) But it was helpful in truly seeing the weakspots for improvement. Now I feel more pumped than ever and I hope next time the review will be more positive and up to sniff because I really want create something that celebrates the series as a whole. I've always believed in the potential that Zelda would make a great live action cinematic epic for years before the news came out. (I'm so surprised that they're working with Sony of all people on this too! But they don't take unsolicited screenplays unfortunately and I don't really have any connections ^^'). At least I'm glad I already have bragging rights of being years ahead of my time since a lot of people claimed this would be impossible. It's not impossible, you just need the right people who care for it. Just look at what the One Piece live action did. If a series like that can be adapted, just about anything can!
What about Link's relationship with Zelda? They shouldn't part ways after combating Ganon. I would like to see all the hardships each have undergone have brought them together. While it shouldn't be a force nor a platonic , the romance between the two is not under the radar. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are the perfect example.
I think making Link more fearful at the start could work, so he can turn into the hero of the Triforce of Courage later
Deconstructing Link like this is the exact OPPOSITE of what they should do.
I agree. I think making the movie about a kid who starts off afraid (because you know, he’s a CHILD) but has to conquer his fear over the course of the story and BECOME the hero, BECOME worthy of the Triforce of Courage, is a great idea, and really hammers home the theme of courage.
It also kinda plays into the themes of something like Ocarina of Time. The story of a kid who is forced to grow up, forced to leave childish things behind and become a hero.
After all, courage isn’t the absence of fear, but being able to do the right thing in spite of fear.
I'd say it would be a no-brainer to make link weak and fearful in the beginning, since one part of the Triforce is literally called the Triforce of Courage, opposite to his starting personality
Since movies like to do a lot of origin stories, I'd be interested in seeing the first hero's adventure that preceded Skyward Sword
I've just binge watched half of your videos and they are so brilliant I had to make this account just to leave a comment. I've really loved how you relate existing works to story structures like the heroes journey here and the three act structure in your foreshadowing video! Plus the explanation behind what makes great stories like The Lion King work. Would love to see more like these, super valuable as someone trying to write their own stories. Thank you!
Here are my suggestions for the Legend of Zelda movie:
-History of Hyrule, the Goddess Hylia, Demon King Demise, three Goddesses(Din, Nayru, and Farore) and the Triforce
- Ganondorf as the main baddy with some more in depth into his character with better witting of his character.
- Link x Princess Zelda's relationship ( a build up where they started out as friends at first until their bond grows even further as they become lovers as they are willing to sacrifice and love for each other over the course of their cinematic journey)
- A young and unfamiliar cast for the role of Link and Zelda
- Link’s inner struggle between being a Hero of Hyrule and his own happiness.
- Link's own family like his grandmother, his uncle, father (a member of the Royal Guard) and his lil sister
- Link's accurate role as he starts out as an energetic-overjoyed young lad until he becomes silent due to the daunting task destiny has been given him which forced him to remained silent. Although does talk since he is more opened to Zelda, he felt it was necessary to stay strong and to silent any burden.
- Zelda’s dilemma of her role of sealing Ganon/Ganondorf away while she wants to forge her own path (as we have seen in Breath of the Wild); caught in between being what’s expected from society versus being who she wants to be.
- Zelda being a companion to Link as she gives out some expositions and world buildings of Hyrules' lore.
- An original story ( not a copy of Ocarina of Time, Breath of the Wild, or Tears of the Kingdom) that is well structured with it's own set of characters, a new version of Hyrule, and a epic action- fantasy with a dash of gritty realism that is build by confident writers.
I especially agree with your idea of having a young and unknown cast. This is one of the reasons LOTR worked so well, and fantasy just really needs to feel like a strange and foreign world. A-list actors don't help with that.
@@theartofstorytelling1 At least I did learned from film class movies become successful due to the B-Film and unfamiliar cast of actor who are first timers.
But what is important is that the story itself stays true to itself instead of a copy of any of the continuities like Ocarina of Time, Skyward Sword, or Breath of the Wild.
And you still have yet to answer my question in regards to Link and Zelda’s relationship. Since director Wes Bell has taken inspiration from Hayao Miyazaki‘s Ghibili movies, their relationship show be a bit slow instead of a rush but give more of Zelda’s bond with Link grows from being his friend to expressing her romantic feelings for her Knight/hero as each are willingly to risk their lives for each other. And Miyazaki has history of strong women so I think it’s best to give Zelda her own adventures while being Link’s companion.
I love this channel even more now.
Thanks my dude. I checked out your channel - a fellow bass player! I also play. I've got a Hofner 500/1 and I want to incorporate in a video somehow - maybe something Beatles related.
bassists love the art of storytelling
@@tedoreo It's actually true! The bass is the underlying structure of the song, so in a way they tell the story of the song. :D
I like the characterization of Link as an incorrigible scamp, a young man who wants to explore and push his boundaries and go where he shouldn't and basically just disrupts the peace of the people around him. "I'm gonna go find out what's in that hole." or "Why is the world like this?" are questions that character could ask that are equally on brand for the series and setting up the character well for an arc where he learns these things and comes back as a protector, who knows the world's complexity.
My idea is to have Link be mute as a way to represent his role as aplayer insert in thr games.
While tricky to pull off, it could lead to some great storytelling and character moments. Link's main struggle would be feeling s of inadequacy and confusion from being thrust into the role of hero, but eventually come into his own as a hero and prove his worth to both himself and the kingdom.
An idea I had for scene would revolve around Link playing the occarina as an escape, with him playing the song of healing as a way to ease his stress, while also implying he may have tried to cure his muteness in the past.
I freaking love this channel
Because the first Zelda game was inspired by Lord of the Rings books, and Twilight Princess by the movies, a live action Zelda is fitting to me.
Nope.a nime or cgi ani.ation.
No human Actors, that will ruin everything.
Plus I never heard of a Zelda Tolkirn connection.
@@CordeliaWagner1999 Takashi Tezuka is stated in Club Nintendo to be inspired by Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books when he wrote the first two games and created the lore. Miyamoto stated that the Deku Scrub's beta name was Hobbit. Lastly, during the development of Twilight Princess, Aonuma said in an interview titled Make It 120 Percent Zelda, that they aimed to give the game world the large scope of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movie.
Honestly, we probably don't need an experimental story for this first film. Zelda games are, with the occasional exception, hero's journeys, and I agree that would be the best approach here.
Ngl i want something with the artstyle of each game to be more unique, rather than the average anime artstyle, kinda like if there was a oot movie they would make a oot artstyle
It'd be wild if there was a trilogy, each one being stylistically different from each other. Kinda like the games!
I don’t believe Link, as we know him from all the games, would be hesitant or not want to accept the responsibility to save Hyrule. Or want to goof off like Aang from Avatar. He’s always just sprung into action and that’s the heroism that captivated me.
In my opinion he would have to be super likable, and the story would revolve around everyone around him. He would just be the embodiment of courage and his arc would have to do something with that and then get another major story arc alongside that.
Appreciate the vid glad to have found the channel
Thanks for stopping by the channel and leaving a comment. I agree that Link needs to be likeable, and I think this is why it's so challenging to imagine his character arc. To me, he is the embodiment of courage like you say. He never falters or shies away from his quest. Can they write his character in a way that retains the spirit of his character, but also gives him an internal struggle? Or would that be overthinking and overcomplicating it?
I thiiink one could look at the manga for a little inspiration regarding Link's character arc and things like that. I own the Twilight Princess one and even though it was a bit strange at first I think it worked. Also: I think Twilight princess might be one of the ones to be more straight forward to adapt because he's not running around alone for much (because of midna) and (correct me if I'm wrong) you get at least some solid backstory as to who he is and some solid relationships to characters at home :D
btw love the choclate chip analogy!
I was wondering how much material there was in terms of novels and manga. I'm sure there's got to be some stories ideas out there that just aren't in any of the main games. I agree that Twilight Princess had one of the most cohesive stories, and Midna is actually a really interesting character (more suitable for a film than something like Navi, for example). I hope we hear more about the plan for the film and Link's character soon! Will be interesting to see if this video turns out totally wrong lol.
@@theartofstorytelling1 I have seen a link to the past has a manga, ocarina of time (about 400 page or something) and twilight princess had one (I think it could be on going still). Skyword Sword might have one somewhere, but I couldn't find it. I just have the first pages with the origin story of the hyrule flying islands that were in some edition of hyrulia historia back in 2018 it was i believe.
They are not canon I believe also because if i remember correctly the skeleton hero from tp was outed as there hero of time there and link had some connections to the royal knights and messed up when trying to pull the mastersword from a stone in the courtyard. (it's a bit foggy and I could be completely wrong so apologies if that's the case)
I hope they monomyth the hell out of it. Sometimes you just want a really good burger instead of a fancy culinary experiment.
Haha great metaphor. And I agree actually.
I know it's not canon, but in Hyrule Warriors, Link obtains the Master Sword about halfway through the story (a little earlier if you include the Wind Waker DLC or play either Legends or the Definitive Edition), and that makes him really cocky and overconfident. Cia then uses his inflated ego to create a horde of Dark Links, making him realize that he overestimated his own power. Most of that is only told in the pre-mission synopsis of the mission immediately after the Master Sword is first obtained, but it still provides substance to a character that otherwise is meant to be a blank slate, and in a way that feels natural for a Zelda game no less. Even if it isn't canon, as I said before.
So that's the kind of conflict I'd like to see in the Zelda movie. Link being too confident in his abilities and getting brought back down to earth when he sees he's not as good as he thought. Maybe his overly cocky disposition makes the Master Sword see him as an unworthy Master until he learns that he shouldn't underestimate his foes or overestimate his own capabilities, accepting that he's a normal person just the same as anyone else.
That's an interesting perspective that I hadn't considered, but hubris is actually a common character flaw among classic heroes. Could totally work for Link, given that confidence is a big part of his character. I also agree that dark link is a good path to take. It recurs in so many Zelda games. Even Wolf Link is a kind of darker version of himself. There's so many "dark reflections" in the games - the world of twilight, the mini boss in the Water Temple in Ocarina Of Time, the Dark World in Link To The Past. In that case, Link literally looks in a MIRROR to traverse to that world. It just seems like a major theme that, if I had to bet money, I'd say the writers will look to for inspiration.
There's Wind Waker DLC???
@@the_flipside_world Yeah, but it's only DLC in the original Wii U version, it was built into the base game for HW Legends (3DS) and the Definitive Edition (NX/Switch). All the DLC from both Wii U and 3DS was built into Definitive Edition, and the Adventure Mode map is slightly different on NX as a result.
@@theartofstorytelling1 Very true, Nintendo does seem to have a thing for the "evil doppelgänger" trope. Shadow Mario, Dark Samus, Dark Pit, and Anti-Kirby, just to name a few.
Edit: I meant Dark Kirby from Amazing Mirror, but I just remembered that Dark Kirby turned out to be a good guy all along. The only real enemy was Dark Meta Knight, who does follow that trope, so I say Amazing Mirror still applies.
@@mickkelley3776 oh i tought for a moment that the original Wind Waker had DLC lmao
Honestly, it should be animated. But whatevs.
I don't think there are a lot of modern writers / filmmakers who could capture the essence of the main games, especially when it comes to themes and subtext. The N64 titles especially and BOTW have a lot of nuance and maturity in what they choose to communicate - and how - and I'm really afraid this will go over the head of whoever's in charge of doing this movie.
Plus, doing this in live action is sure to be off-putting for an audience that's been dreaming of an animated Zelda film for 20+ years.
All this to say, I'm not expecting a homerun from Sony here....
I hope they get the cast of the new Last Airbender series.
I came across some interesting casting ideas during my research for this video. Hunter Schafer as Princess Zelda was one that I found intriguing.
In The Plot part I felt you are reading the plot of the Lord of the Rings 😅
I think the problem of just trying to adapt Zelda into a classic "Hero's Journey" is it will feel incredibly cliché and boring, plus it will probably turn into 1 of the million movies in which they try to do all of this in 90 minutes, feeling "rushed". No time to get to like the characters, no time to care for them, just one step of the journey happening right after the other until you complete de 90minutes of the movie. I do not have an answer to what they SHOULD do, but I believe if they go for this classic approach, and all in a single movie, it will be an absolute failure.
Yeah I can already picture the movie starting with Link's everyday life and ending with him defeating some incarnation of Ganondorf with Zelda's help, and it obviously feels incredibly boring. The only reason the games can get away with it is because the gameplay and presentation are usually very refreshing, and you have agency over the adventure itself, but even then it's getting old and they can't always pull it off. I can't imagine the movie going this route. These tropes are way too overdone and "easy". Wouldn't work in film format imo. Plus, I'll probably die of cringe when he breaks a pot a winks at the viewers (we all know they'll do it).
@@thisisfyne Ugh, imagining the "link breaks a pot and winks at the viewers" moment made me shudder... hahaha
Never mind the art of storytelling, when do we get to check out the chocolate chip cookies?
Haha maybe I'll pivot to a cooking channel
I don't think the Link from the 1989 cartoon is an insufferable jerk. I think he's an ill mannered peasant, or started off as one. Until he moved into Zelda's castle, he's never been taught to have proper manners, and as an adventuring hero, he doesn't see the point of proper manners. He's brutally honest about what he wants, which is off putting to Zelda who was taught proper manners.
This Link also has flaws, which is another thing you'd have to expect from a linear narrative that actually has to flesh out his character. Aside from bad manners, he's also a bit on the lazy side when it comes to chores... although why the guy hired to protect the Triforce has to do cleaning chores outside the room where the Triforce is kept when the castle has a cleaning staff is a question my kid self would likely never have asked.
Contrast Twilight Princess Link and Breath of the Wild Link, both of whom were members of their respective communities who wouldn't have tolerated cartoon Link's boorish behavior.
So with that in mind, I suspect a movie Link's personality is going to depend on the details of his upbringing. I wouldn't mind a helpful but still brutally honest Link who doesn't understand the point of good manners.
I would die happy if they would make a FFVI film
Stay tuned to the channel! I’ve got some FF6 content in the pipeline. :)
I don't think this is that hard. Zelda is ideal for a lore adaptation. Meaning the writers have a basic framework they just have to flesh out. The thing Castlevania did.
I know you know the hero's journey is from Campbell, so I'm curious why you credited an exec from Disney. I've never heard of him before.
Yes you're right! I cite Vogler instead of Campbell for a couple reasons. One, I want to do a video focused specifically on Joseph Campbell in the near future, and I'd like to give his ideas a proper analysis and explanation. Two, Campbell's description of the hero's journey has 17 steps, and for this video, I felt that was too granular for the Zelda example. Vogler's version (developed for internal use at Disney) reduces the journey to 12 steps, which felt more manageable in this case. This is why I say Vogler "developed" the hero's journey, rather than "created" it, though on reflection I can see how that word is slightly misleading. Maybe should have mentioned Campbell just to clarify this.
No worries! I wasn't trying to criticize. I was just caught of guard by the reference and was curious why you mentioned him. Thank you for the response!
@@matthewleonmartin For sure, I most certainly welcome comments, even if there is criticism (recognizing that's not your intent). One thing I'm realizing with this channel (which is very new) is that Campbell is probably going to come up a lot haha. So I need to be careful about how often I reference him, or it will always be about him. I'm actually just re-reading Hero With A Thousand Faces now to try and get more closely acquainted with his ideas. Thanks for stopping by the channel and I hope you'll stay for more!
Me and my friend are making a Zelda movie
Link will talk and the fanbase needs to read the manga to know it works, stop just STOP AND CEASE citing a cartoon from the 19 freaking 80s!!
He can be low word count, but he will speak for himself when addressed in a conversation.
Well, excuuuuse me, princess!
I like that Link is a jerk in the Cartoons.
A stoice flawless hero is boring
are the chocolate cookies triforce shaped?
How did u know
Link has to skip the refusal step. I don’t care how integral it is to the narrative structure of the heroes journey. A big part of his character is that he is just that guy. He exists as a character for a player who naturally wants to go be heroic and explore because why bother even playing the games and that really needs to be present in any film adaptation. Also live action is an awful choice for such a colorful world with goofy looking characters
OK, I'll bet something: that's not what we'll have. Here's my try at a Nostradamus' guess (I'll come back to it when the movie gets out). I'll try 20 points. See how many points I get:
1 - Zelda will be the focus of the movie, but will not have a character arc because she will be flawless from the get go.
2 - She will be this multi-talented (from physical and mental standpoint), culturaly superior, a bit cynicall, soon to be queen.
3 - She will not be kidnapped by Ganon. Her father, the king, will be imprisonned by Ganon causing her to flee the castle (by her own means).
4 - She will take shelter in the Kokiri forest. There she will meet this bumbling man-child that is Link.
5 - She'll see a physical peculiar trait on Link (a birthmark, a tatoo shaped in a triangle), and it will remind her of a prophecy she read in her studies.
6 - She will have Link come with her to fetch a McGuffin (Sword, Triforce, etc... you name it), and on the path she will try to train him to become a hero. Adventures ensues.
7 - Link will be mostly the butt of every joke and virtually do nothing by himself to advance the plot or resolve anything (except on the final climax where he "becomes a hero" by defeating Ganon, but not without a big helping push from Zelda)
8 - The setting will be another version of Hyrule (another time-branch to add to the timeline), but will have fan service objects, characters from EACH and EVERY games from the series...
9 - ... (even the Cd-i ones, played for laughs)
10 - Link will have to dress up as a girl at one point (most likely to enter the Gerudo Fortress), and will be hit on by a drunk guard or something.
11 - Link will talk A LOT. At one point Zelda will say "I wish you could shut up for a second" or something of that effect.
12 - The action scenes and fight coregraphy will be sparse, formulaic, badly edited and way too short to be enjoyed.
13 - The director will be a yes man (like Tim Story, Peyton Reed, Mark Webb, nowadays Guy Ritchie, etc...), or someone for whom it's the second or third film.
14 - Jack Black will be cast in it, maybe as the King... most likely as the king of the Zoras.
15 - Navi (or any following fairy) will be met randomly in the first third of the movie and will tag along, but won't do anything worthy beyond being a comic relief character (maybe with an outlandish personality trait, like overly angry all the time).
16 - Link will drop its sword at one point of the movie for comedic effect.
17 - The movie will be way too short (under 2 hours for sure) and feel rushed as heck.
18 - NOTHING original or noteworthy will come from it on a directorial/mise-en-scene standpoint. Cookie cutter framing, editing, photography. The safest the better.
19 - They'll try to give Ganondorf an overcomplicated backstory to explain why he's so evil.
20 - Somehow, every character will be visually close to the way they are portrayed in the games... except this one! (don't know which one yet, but there will be one character that clashes with the overall aesthetics of the series).
I sincerely hope I'm wrong on most of these points.
I also hope they get Willem Dafoe to play Ganondorf, but hey, on this one I'm convinced it won't happen.
I think the movie needs to have link as a supporting character to zelda in the story.
Link's internal flaw should be a hero complex, being the chosen one and needing to do everything alone to protect others
That makes sense. I've always wondered if Nintendo would give us a playable Zelda as the main character of a game. Honestly I thought the sequel to BoTW would be that for sure. But I was wrong. Might make sense for her to be the star of the film.
They should give Uwe Boll all the rights and 400 million $ just to see what happens - and I guarantee it is better than Rings of Power
I already hay te that it will be live Action.
Human Actors don't fit into this world, these stories
Honestly, after making this video I kind of agree. I'm having a hard time seeing how it's going to work.
As a fan who's already apprehensive and biased against the idea about the mobie because It'll be live action instead of animated. All I could ask for is that the sense of adventure and overwheling intimidation of Gannon is there.
As for how I'd like for Link to be potrayed I think they could look to the multiple Manga adaptations of each of the Zelda games and take inspiration from those Link's characteristics/charactizations. Specifically Majora's mask for the more adventurous version of Link or Twilight Princess (my favorite version) for the more well arounded.
A legend of Zelda movie will work best with as little link screen time as it can get away with
Do you see Zelda as the protagonist? Honestly I think it makes sense in a lot of ways. Her character in the games is more dynamic. And she talks!
'promo sm'