The Legend of Zelda director Wes Ball says he doesn’t want fans to think of his picture as a Lord of the Rings copy.
During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Ball revealed that he is a huge fan of Hayao Miyazaki‘s animated film catalog. He hopes to bring some of that whimsical wonder to his Legend of Zelda movie.
He added, “I’ve always said, I would love to see a live-action Miyazaki. That wonder and whimsy that he brings to things, I would love to see something like that.”
Legend of Zelda is heading to the big screen
Ball, who is perhaps best known for directing The Maze Runner trilogy, was announced as director on the live-action Legend of Zelda movie in November 2023. Zelda co-creator Shigeru Miyamoto will produce the upcoming adaptation alongside Spider-Man franchise producer Avi Arad. Nintendo will produce and co-finance the movie with Sony Pictures Entertainment, with the latter also set to distribute the film worldwide on a to-be-announced date.
The Legend of Zelda is arguably Nintendo’s most recognizable franchise after Super Mario Bros., which received a new big-screen adaptation earlier this year from Universal and Illumination. The popular video game series, which began in 1986, primarily centers around Link and Princess Zelda as they fight to save the magical land of Hyrule from the evil warlord/demon king Ganon. The latest title in the series, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, was released on the Nintendo Switch this past May.
