Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Devs Want A Franchise Film (But Need You To, Too)

"The Super Mario Bros. Movie" was a massive success for both Nintendo and Universal Studios, becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time and igniting sequel talks early into the flick's theatrical run. And while Universal and Illumination might not be the best choice for adapting future Nintendo properties, the "Mario" adaptation's success has already gotten fans curious to see what's next from the studio. Naturally, conversations have shifted to discussing the filmic potential of Nintendo's other flagship franchise: "The Legend of Zelda."

Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto has previously hinted that the next movie from Nintendo might not be the direct Mario Bros. sequel that fans might expect. He explained in an interview that "Nintendo is like a talent agency. We have many other entertainers [on our roster]." And who's a better entertainer than Link (despite the fact that he hardly ever speaks)?

Miyamoto isn't the only Nintendo creator to discuss this idea, however. During an interview with Polygon, the outlet asked producer Eiji Aounuma and "Tears of the Kingdom" director Hidemaro Fujibayashi about the possibility of a forthcoming "Zelda" movie. And although they didn't confirm that anything is currently in the works, they did imply that fans could influence the future of Nintendo adaptations in some way.

When asked about the possibility of a "Legend of Zelda" movie, Eiji Aonuma responded, "I have to say, I am interested. For sure. But it's not just me being interested in something that makes things happen, unfortunately." So what would get the ball rolling in this case? 

Nintendo might listen to the fan demand, if there is one, before deciding to move forward with a film adaptation. At least, that seems to be the implication from Hidemaro Fujibayashi, who remarked, "Maybe the voice of the fans is what's important here."

So there you have it. While it's not a full-on confirmation that fan support could get a "Zelda" movie made, these comments do feel like an encouraging nudge from creators who have been with the franchise for a long time. At the very least, it sounds like they want to see it happen. Link and Zelda will most likely make their way to the silver screen in the future — but only if Nintendo knows the fans will turn out to see it!