The Head Executive Dispels “Zelda” Movie Rumors
Following the tremendous success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which became the second highest-grossing animated film ever, it would seem like a natural progression for a movie adaptation of The Legend of Zelda series to be in the works.
However, recent rumors suggesting that Illumination, the studio behind the Mario movie, is collaborating with Nintendo on a Zelda adaptation have been proven false. TheWrap had a conversation with Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri, who stated that Link’s story is not currently being considered by the studio. Meledandri discredited the rumors as baseless, emphasizing that he has no knowledge of their origin beyond mere fan speculation.
“I can understand why people might make such assumptions, given our successful working relationship,” Meledandri explained. “I’m now a member of Nintendo’s board of directors, so I can see why people would speculate. However, in terms of the specifics, it’s merely hearsay. This is about what lies ahead for Nintendo and Illumination.”
A Plethora of Weekly Rumors
Benjamin Renner, a director at Illumination currently working on Migration, also weighed in on the matter. He revealed that their team receives reports about their next project on a weekly basis, with the recent one being the supposed Zelda movie.
Naturally, Illumination, known for their successes such as Sing and Despicable Me, has already committed to fast-tracking a sequel to the Mario movie. This might explain why a Zelda movie is not currently on the horizon.
Nonetheless, the triumph of The Super Mario Bros. Movie has earned Meledandri a position on Nintendo’s board of directors. Only time will tell if Illumination will take on other Nintendo franchises in the future.
