The Legend of Zelda is one of the most popular and enduring video game series of all time, and now Netflix has announced that a live-action version is in the works.
Netflix to develop Legend of Zelda series
Video streaming service Netflix is already developing their live version series, which is based on Zelda. The video game developed by Nintendo is about a boy named link who must rescue a princess named Zelda and save a fantasy land called, said people familiar with the matter. Netflix is seeking writers for the show, which it has already described as “Game of Thrones” for a family audience.
Zelda games have always included lots of fantasy game elements, such as swords and sorcery, similar to Game of Thrones and Lord of The Rings, but have always kept a more light-hearted, child-friendly tone.
Netflix is already working closely with Nintendo, the popular Japanese video game and hardware developer, that has made dozens of Zelda games and spinoffs since the original, which was released in the U.S. in 1987 to widespread acclaim.
The move is somewhat surprising, as Nintendo works hard to protect its intellectual property and has rarely allowed any live action versions of its games. But an animated Legend of Zelda series did run in 1989, albeit for just one season. And there was a movie in 1993 starring Bob Hoskins, based on Super Mario Brothers, however that movie bombed and didn’t do much to help the Nintendo brand.
There will no doubt be a lengthy wait before we can enjoy the new series, as it’s still in the early stages of development. Of course, there’s always the chance that the project may never see the light of day, but it’s one that would boost Netflix’s audience for younger generations, and provide more publicity for Nintendo’s animated characters and video games.
In the meantime, various incarnations of the Zelda games can be played on Nintendo’s range of video games consoles.
Larry Banks is a keen follower of technology and finance. He has worked for a variety of online publications, writing about a diverse range of topics including mobile networks, patents, and Internet video delivery technologies.
