Nintendo boasts some of the most recognizable video game characters on the planet, even to those who have never picked up a controller in their life. This past spring, Universal Pictures released The Super Mario Bros. Movie, a computer animated picture that boasted a star-studded cast of voice actors that included Chris Pratt as Mario, Jack Black as Bowser, and Anya-Taylor Joy as Princess Peach.
Video game inspired movies have had a rocky track record over the last several decades. Indeed, the Super Mario Bros. movie released in 1993 was a commercial failure that failed to cover its budget. The Super Mario Bros. Movie exorcised those demons with a monster performance at the box office in 2023. The movie has raked in over $570 million at the domestic box office and over $1.36 billion worldwide.
This week, Nintendo revealed that it is ready to recruit another one of its most popular video game characters to take over the big screen. On Tuesday, Nintendo announced that it plans to make a live-action version of The Legend of Zelda in conjunction with SONY Pictures Entertainment. Nintendo aims to finance more than 50% of the movie, illustrating that it is confident in its future success.
Wes Ball, the 43-year old filmmaker who helmed the Maze Runner trilogy and the upcoming Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, has been slated to direct Nintendo’s next big effort. The success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Barbie may have ushered in a new era of bankable blockbusters.
