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00:00 I think you are now ready.
00:02 Ready to hear what happened 100 years ago.
00:06 Welcome to Mojo Plays, and whether we like it or not, a live action Zelda movie is in
00:11 the works with Nintendo and Sony Pictures.
00:14 So today, we're going over elements that should be included for the adaptation to be
00:18 as good as it can be.
00:20 I will crush any opposition.
00:24 I will rule.
00:25 That is what a king must do.
00:30 Before we begin, we publish new content all week long, so be sure to subscribe and ring
00:35 the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
00:39 Koji Kondo.
00:47 Let's start with one that is both likely and obvious.
00:51 There isn't a Zelda fan in the world who wouldn't love Koji Kondo to work on the movie's score.
00:56 While he hasn't composed every Zelda game, he did build the foundation and give us some
01:01 of the franchise's most well-known tunes.
01:10 We say this request seems likely because he did help compose the soundtrack for the Super
01:15 Mario Bros. movie, and one of that movie's highlights was hearing orchestral versions
01:19 of those songs.
01:29 But for the love of Hylia, please let the soundtrack be entirely orchestral.
01:35 It will completely take us out of the world and tone if Link is fighting monsters alongside
01:39 radio hits.
01:48 Shoot on location.
01:50 Plenty of Hollywood blockbusters utilize green screens and other methods to create fictional
01:55 worlds.
01:56 We're not here to tell you whether they look good or bad, but it seems on-location shooting
02:00 would be the best fit for a Zelda movie.
02:03 Large-scale fantasy epics like the Lord of the Rings movies, or even TV shows like Game
02:08 of Thrones, have drastically benefited from shooting in real places around the globe.
02:13 Zelda is all about venturing into wide worlds and discovering the unknown, and we're sure
02:18 there are boundless possibilities to choose from when it comes to replicating Hyrule.
02:31 Practical dungeons.
02:40 Shooting on location will be wonderful for establishing the world of Hyrule, but if our
02:44 hero ends up venturing into some dungeons, those environments might need to be fabricated.
02:50 We hope there aren't too many MacGuffins Link has to track down, as that type of format
02:54 works much better in games than it does movies.
02:57 When it comes to dungeons though, the more practical effects you can get in there, the
03:01 better.
03:02 We want traps and puzzles and monsters, but we also want to feel that Link is in actual
03:07 danger.
03:08 We're not looking for entire recreations of what we've played through.
03:12 That would be impossible.
03:13 But we do want the filmmakers to replicate their atmospheres.
03:24 An accurate Link.
03:32 Now we're not saying Link shouldn't talk.
03:35 He still speaks in many of the games, even if we don't hear him.
03:39 However, if the movie version of him is a confident, wisecracking hero, that just won't
03:44 be Link.
03:45 He should still be reserved and introverted, similar to how the Breath of the Wild version
03:49 keeps quiet specifically because of the daunting task at hand.
03:54 We think that's the most important detail to get right, but there are some other elements
03:58 that would be nice bonuses.
04:00 Link is a short king, after all, and before motion controls changed it, he was one of
04:06 gaming's only left-handed protagonists.
04:19 Make Zelda the companion.
04:26 Simply put, if they didn't have Bowser kidnap Peach immediately in the Mario movie, Zelda
04:32 shouldn't be held captive in this one.
04:34 Given the family-friendly nature of Nintendo, we're sure there will still be some kind
04:39 of silly side character that goes on the adventure with Link.
04:42 Maybe even Navi.
04:43 However, a film would be so much better served if Princess Zelda is there too.
04:48 She's the namesake of the series, and could offer some exposition and world-building for
04:53 Hyrule's lore.
04:54 But she would also play a vital part if they choose to make Link a quieter character.
05:06 Unknown actors.
05:10 Yes, we've seen the one billion Tom Holland memes.
05:16 Unfortunately, we wouldn't put it past Sony Pictures, or even Nintendo, to cast someone
05:21 like him.
05:22 There are many cases of actors feeling miscast simply because audiences know it's an A-list
05:27 celebrity rather than a character they're watching.
05:30 Again, we look to Game of Thrones.
05:33 Most of the show's actors were relatively unknown at the beginning, and yet flawlessly
05:37 fit into the roles they were assigned.
05:39 The same should be the case for Link and Zelda to maintain that illusion of being whisked
05:43 away on an adventure.
05:45 Also, if they skewed younger to fit the franchise's coming-of-age elements, that would be even
05:50 better.
05:55 MoCap races.
06:00 One thing that worried us upon hearing the movie would be live-action was how races like
06:04 the Gorons and Zoras might look.
06:07 But there's a solution for this, and it's already built into director Wes Ball's filmography,
06:12 motion capture.
06:14 Ball helmed the Maze Runner trilogy, but his next movie is 2024's Kingdom of the Planet
06:18 of the Apes.
06:19 An entry in a franchise that has perfected mocap acting.
06:23 While using this method doesn't guarantee the designs of magical races wouldn't look
06:27 odd, it would allow much greater depth for making them look believable and for getting
06:32 a good performance.
06:41 Ganondorf.
06:49 While there are other villains in the series, it seems unlikely the movie would go for anyone
06:53 other than the franchise's BBEG.
06:56 Usually, that's the monstrous boar Ganon.
06:59 But that would make for a pretty boring movie villain.
07:02 So we'd bet money that his human form, Ganondorf, will be the primary antagonist.
07:07 However, a transformation into his beast form seems like a no-brainer climax moment.
07:18 While the games have touched on his motivations a little bit, the movie would hopefully give
07:22 him more screen time and characterization.
07:24 Hey, even Jack Black's Bowser had more depth than what we get in the games.
07:29 Likewise, there's room to expand here.
07:42 The lore.
07:48 As any Zelda fan will tell you, the series is light on plot, but heavy on lore.
07:53 In fact, some games have their own lore that's never touched on in other games.
07:58 When it comes to what to include in the movie, we'd suggest keeping things light.
08:02 Nintendo and Sony wouldn't want to risk alienating viewers who have never played the
08:06 games, or even those who have only experienced them casually.
08:09 Plus, such giant exposition dumps would only make a two-hour runtime messy.
08:14 We'd love to see the story of the Golden Goddesses and the Triforce on the big screen,
08:19 and we'll probably get something on Link being a reincarnated hero.
08:23 But as far as everything else is concerned, leave it for the sequels.
08:27 If we get any.
08:39 An Original Story
08:51 One of the biggest conversations on the internet since the movie's announcement, other than
08:55 fan uproar about it being made in the first place, is about which of the many games it
09:00 should adapt.
09:02 Some have argued for Skyward Sword as it is the chronological first, while others have
09:06 argued for a more traditional and beloved entry like Ocarina of Time.
09:11 But honestly, we think Nintendo should adapt none of them.
09:14 If it's based on a single game, fans will have more expectations than they already do.
09:20 But if you create an original story and just fill it with elements and references to the
09:24 source material, then it will help the movie stand on its own two feet.
09:39 What are you hoping to see most in The Legend of Zelda movie?
09:42 Let us know in the comments, and be sure to subscribe for more great Zelda videos.
09:46 I'd like to thank you for joining me here today, and for your bravery in accepting this
09:55 fateful task.
10:03 See you next time.