The Live-Action Movie Needs to Stay Far Away From These 11 Zelda Characters

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In the upcoming live-action “Legend of Zelda” film, Link and Princess Zelda have already been cast, however, the remaining characters are yet to be decided. In other words, these characters haven’t been officially confirmed yet. It’s almost certain that notable characters like Ganondorf will appear in the movie. The Zelda universe consists of 29 games and a vast array of significant characters. Given the number of characters available, it’s highly unlikely that Sony and Nintendo will include most or even a majority of them in this film, especially if they have plans for a series (which seems likely).

In the upcoming movie, certain characters are essential and will definitely be featured, while others may not appear, and some of these optional characters might not be suitable for inclusion. Here’s a list of characters that it would be wise for Sony and Nintendo to avoid featuring.

11) Ezlo

It’s possible that a live-action adaptation aiming for a more realistic approach (as suggested by the costume designs of Link and Zelda) might not be suitable for including a talking hat character like Ezlo. While many elements from The Minish Cap may not fit well in The Legend of Zelda, this is one that seems particularly obvious to omit.

In a more relaxed and conversational style, here’s how you could rephrase the given text:

It’s hard to imagine a talking hat fitting into this franchise, not just because it wouldn’t match the setting, but also because of the tone. You see, Ezlo is our humorous, quirky character who often brings a touch of silliness to the stories. Introducing him here might feel odd or out of place. Furthermore, fans probably don’t need the backstory of Link’s hat in this context, especially not when we’re creating a universe that’s intended to be more serious and grounded.

The original image of Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link didn’t even include his hat, so it seems unnecessary to add it now.

10) Majora

Among all villains in the Zelda series, Majora stands out as particularly intriguing. It’s an evil entity residing within a mask that brings about the ruin of the world every few days. This plot might not immediately suggest a live-action adaptation. Also, incorporating Majora would necessitate adding several aspects from “Majora’s Mask”. Although this game is cherished and highly regarded, it may not be ideal for translation onto the silver screen.

To begin with, it could be strange and perhaps a bit disconcerting for those unfamiliar with the games. Moreover, having Link don various masks and transform into different characters might come off as absurd and challenging to animate in live-action. It’d be best to steer clear of this concept for now.

9) Skull Kid

In essence, it might be unnecessary to feature Skull Kid in the upcoming film. Given his role as the antagonist in “Majora’s Mask” and being influenced by the mask he wears, he is a complex tragic villain in the series. However, his connection to Majora makes him challenging to incorporate into this movie. Although Skull Kid appears in “Twilight Princess”, his role there doesn’t seem fitting for the film either, as he acts more like a mischievous prankster that Link chases to retrieve the Master Sword, which involves numerous teleportations. It seems unlikely that such a role would align with this movie adaptation’s intended direction.

In simpler terms, a plausible approach for granting Link the Master Sword in this adaptation could mirror the method used in “Breath of the Wild”. Essentially, Link should accumulate enough strength (or power), similar to King Arthur’s drawing the sword from the stone. This metaphorical parallel makes it less likely for Skull Kid to be involved in this scenario.

8) Navi

Despite Navi being such a well-known character, she seems most suited to the world of video games. Perhaps she could make an appearance as an Easter egg, but that’s about as far as it should go. Link has always had someone guiding him throughout his gaming adventures, so he needs a helper too.

Navi might be renowned, but she seems to fit best within the realm of video games. She could potentially show up as an Easter egg, though that’s the limit of her presence. As for Link, it’s common for him to have someone directing him in his gaming escapades; he requires a helper too.

In a live-action adaptation, it’s challenging to include Navi characters due to the excessive use of CGI they require, which might strain the viewers’ experience. Additionally, repetitive phrases like “Hey, listen!” from Link could become tiresome over time.

As a fan, I find it plausible that a whimsical character like a fairy helper might not align with the gritty, realistic direction the filmmakers appear to be pursuing. Instead, they seem to be opting for a more subdued, grounded approach, which could potentially exclude fantastical elements such as the Navi.

7) Null

There are several reasons why this character might not be suitable for inclusion. To begin with, it is one of the most recent additions to the franchise, having debuted in 2024’s “Echoes of Wisdom,” a game that many gamers may not have had the opportunity to play yet. Moreover, the movie was already announced prior to Null being unveiled to the public.

Alternatively, representing Null on screen might prove challenging. After all, how do you visualize an empty space? Conversely, due to its various manifestations, Null seems ideally suited for animation, yet unsuitable for any other medium.

In third place, Null symbolizes significant backstory. Since backstory plays a crucial role in The Legend of Zelda, you can anticipate the film to contain a lot of narrative details and exposition, including the origin of Hyrule, the formation of the Triforce, and potentially the roles of Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf within this. However, Null delves deeper than that, which might be excessive for the initial movie.

If the series continues, there might be an opportunity to introduce Null in a future film to enrich the storyline. It’s impressive how Nintendo did this in a game, but it’s crucial to gradually prepare the audience for such a development in a film.

6) Dampe

Throughout the game series, Dampe has appeared frequently, yet he hasn’t taken on a pivotal role thus far. Occasionally, he offers items to either Link or Zelda, but these items aren’t typically significant enough to be featured in the upcoming film.

As a gaming enthusiast, if Dampe were to make it to the big screen, he’d likely appear as an unrecognizable character resembling Dampe, but without his iconic name. Given his peculiar nature – being a ghost primarily associated with graveyards – it seems unlikely that a family-friendly film would opt for such an unusual character, aiming instead to attract a younger audience.

5) Great Fairies

As a devoted fan, I must admit that the apparent focus on realism in this movie leaves me questioning the existence of such fantastical beings as giant fairies living within fountains and bestowing Link with enchanted armor or powers. It’s hard not to feel a twinge of disappointment at the possibility of the Great Fairy Fountain theme, an iconic piece of Zelda music, being absent. However, considering the narrative direction, it seems prudent that such elements may be omitted for the sake of the overall storyline.

In the film, Link won’t encounter actual fairies to acquire specific items, as these fairies may contain themes that could be inappropriate for younger viewers. This has also been the case in the games, but due to the adaption process, the filmmakers might decide to omit them.

4) Tri

As a dedicated gamer, I can’t help but feel that when The Legend of Zelda makes its transition to the big screen, it might stick with the familiar formula. It seems pretty certain that Zelda will find herself in peril, and it’ll be up to Link to rescue her and protect Hyrule. But hey, just because Zelda starts off as a damsel in distress doesn’t mean she can’t take center stage someday! Who knows? Maybe we’ll see a movie where Zelda is the hero, saving the day and leaving Link to admire her from the sidelines for a change.

As a gamer, when I think about a Zelda-centric movie, I can’t help but envision it with a touch of lightness and magic – perfect for fairies! However, when it comes to Link being the main character, I don’t see the need for Tri, a fairy he hasn’t interacted much with in the games.

3) Hestu

A significant number of less serious characters from the story of “The Legend of Zelda” won’t be part of the film, regrettably. In certain cases, this might turn out to be beneficial. For instance, a character such as Hestu, who wouldn’t contribute anything meaningful to the movie, could easily be omitted.

As a gamer, I can’t imagine Link needing an inventory expansion in the movie version of our beloved game. It just doesn’t fit and would be downright confusing. However, sneakily hiding a Korok Easter egg somewhere in the movie would make perfect sense and add a delightful touch for fans. But introducing Hestu, the inventor of inventory expansion, might disrupt the film’s tone and offer little value to the plot.

2) Vaati

It wouldn’t be logical to introduce a villain other than Ganondorf in the first movie. Ganondorf is the primary antagonist for the story, and introducing additional main villains alongside him in his own film would be unjust towards them. Therefore, it might be best to delay Vaati’s appearance.

In most video games, Ganondorf is the primary antagonist, but using him as the villain in a live-action film might feel too repetitive. It could be intriguing to introduce characters like Vaati, or even Null, as the main adversary for their own movie at some point. For now, it’s best to keep these characters confined and waiting for their turn to shine on the big screen.

1) Zant

Regarding Zant, even though he served Ganondorf and assisted in his escape from the Twilight realm, it’s not strictly necessary to exclude him from consideration for future roles, particularly in a film centered around him. However, if such a movie were to be made, it would certainly be acceptable.

Instead of including Zant or similar characters as antagonists in the initial movie, it might be more appropriate to hold them back until a sequel when Ganondorf makes his reappearance. Overcrowding the first film with pseudo-antagonists could potentially dilute the plot’s impact.

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2025-07-21 04:40