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Back in 2015, the Wall Street Journal reported that Netflix was working with Nintendo on a live-action series adaptation of The Legend of Zelda. The Journal said that their source is "a person familiar with the matter" who also said that "Netflix is describing it as “Game of Thrones” for a family audience". The project was apparently still in its early stages as the report noted that Netflix was seeking writers to work on the show at the time. However, even if other outlets shared this news, nothing was officially announced and the report was dismissed as rumor.

Now, nearly six years after the original news broke, new details emerged about the project. Speaking to YouTube channel The Serf Times in a recent interview, Adam Conover of Adam Ruins Everything, talked about a "secret project" that was in the works while he was at College Humor. It involved the latter collaborating with Nintendo to make a claymation version of Star Fox and Fantastic Mr. Fox. Shigeru Miyamoto even came to College Humor's office to discuss the project. About a month later, Adam Conover heard the news that the Zelda Netflix adaptation was not happening and around the same time, his boss also told him that they weren't doing the Star Fox claymation anymore.

Asking for more information, he says his boss said the following:

“Oh, someone at Netflix leaked the Legend of Zelda thing. They weren’t supposed to talk about it. Nintendo freaked out because it was the first time they had done any IP in years for any products [...] But when Netflix leaked it, they freaked out and they pulled the plug on everything. They pulled the plug on the entire program to adapt these things.”

You can watch Adam Conover share his anecdote as from 39:05 in the interview below:

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In a tweet following the resurgence of the news, the author of the original Wall Street Journal article, Ben Fritz, confirmed that his reporting in 2015 was accurate but didn't confirm (and apparently won't) that his source was a Netflix employee, only saying that it "may not be true".

So it would seem that the live-action Zelda series was actually going to happen until the news (in some form) started to go public before Nintendo wanted it to be. Given how they are protective of their IP, they found it best to pull the plug on any collaboration at the time. Should the project have gone forward, would you like to see a live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda?

SOURCE

 

[neotank19]

I think this idea had great potential, I would love a family style GOT zelda show.

 

[diggeloid]

There's no way the thing was cancelled over a leak (especially such a weak one). Sure, a leak is a risk because it can lead to hype, which history has shown always severely distorts peoples' expectations.

But if they scrapped the entire project, I'm guessing there were a lot more issues with the production. I can't imagine a world where a live-action Zelda series is anything but terrible, so Nintendo's confidence in the project was probably not very high to begin with.

 

[Ryab]

View attachment 244707
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Back in 2015, the Wall Street Journal reported that Netflix was working with Nintendo on a live-action series adaptation of The Legend of Zelda. The Journal said that their source is "a person familiar with the matter" who also said that "Netflix is describing it as “Game of Thrones” for a family audience". The project was apparently still in its early stages as the report noted that Netflix was seeking writers to work on the show at the time. However, even if other outlets shared this news, nothing was officially announced and the report was dismissed as rumor.

Now, nearly six years after the original news broke, new details emerged about the project. Speaking to YouTube channel The Serf Times in a recent interview, Adam Conover of Adam Ruins Everything, talked about a "secret project" that was in the works while he was at College Humor. It involved the latter collaborating with Nintendo to make a claymation version of Star Fox and Fantastic Mr. Fox. Shigeru Miyamoto even came to College Humor's office to discuss the project. About a month later, Adam Conover heard the news that the Zelda Netflix adaptation was not happening and around the same time, his boss also told him that they weren't doing the Star Fox claymation anymore.

Asking for more information, he says his boss said the following:

“Oh, someone at Netflix leaked the Legend of Zelda thing. They weren’t supposed to talk about it. Nintendo freaked out because it was the first time they had done any IP in years for any products [...] But when Netflix leaked it, they freaked out and they pulled the plug on everything. They pulled the plug on the entire program to adapt these things.”

You can watch Adam Conover share his anecdote as from 39:05 in the interview below:

​

In a tweet following the resurgence of the news, the author of the original Wall Street Journal article, Ben Fritz, confirmed that his reporting in 2015 was accurate but didn't confirm (and apparently won't) that his source was a Netflix employee, only saying that it "may not be true".

So it would seem that the live-action Zelda series was actually going to happen until the news (in some form) started to go public before Nintendo wanted it to be. Given how they are protective of their IP, they found it best to pull the plug on any collaboration at the time. Should the project have gone forward, would you like to see a live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda?

SOURCE

I wouldn't ever work well honestly. Link has always been perceived as a silent protagonist.

 

[tabzer]

I wouldn't ever work well honestly. Link has always been perceived as a silent protagonist.

Excuuuse me, princess.

 

[BitMasterPlus]

Considering Adam, Nintendo, and Netflix, I'm incredibly glad this was cancelled.

 

[|<roni&g]

Glad it was cancelled, imagine all the silly clips and GIFsfrom it that would only damage the Zelda feel

 

[Lostbhoy]

Well, they were obviously not even into the production stage and leaks were already happening. Nintendo needs to be in control. Remember when they sued Elián Gonzalez and his family because the raft he floated over on looked too much like something from Donkey Kong?

I'm well aware of what Nintendo are like but I don't see them cancelling games or consoles just because someone said "it may be coming out" or they "may be doing this or that."

Or is this why BOTW2 has fallen deadly silent since the big reveal 2 years ago? Maybe it wasn't supposed to be revealed so the persons involved got sacked and the game has been cancelled.

As i said, unconfirmed rumours waaaaaay before anything had started is pathetic.

 

[Noctosphere]

I'm gonna be honnest, I'm very sad

 

[raxadian]

Don't believe it.

Zelda not only would have been quite expensive to do live action, but Nintendo has a hate boner for live action since the Super Mario Bros movie. And Nintendo also was not happy about the Super Mario Bros Show for some reason.

 

[chrisrlink]

-breaks out a lawn chair- don't mind me Just waiting for if they cancel gen IV remakes due to leaks oh i can practicly smell the bloodbath if that hapens

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Whew, talk about throwing a fit over basically nothing, GG Nintendo.

Not that I think a live action Zelda series would be all that good TBH, unless they cut out Silent Protagonist Link and just did a show in the land of Hyrule with made up characters from the major races which might work I suppose. Either way, nothing of value was lost

 

[raxadian]

-breaks out a lawn chair- don't mind me Just waiting for if they cancel gen IV remakes due to leaks oh i can practicly smell the bloodbath if that hapens

Pokemon had leaks and fake rumors since Gen I so is basically tradition at this point. Also Gamefreak wants moneyz so no way they will cancel the remakes. Gotta make people want to use P$kebank after all.

 

[Deleted member 397813]

netflix, please, go home.

like seriously.

 

[JVF]

They didn't cancel the Switch when its concept was leaked

 

[powblock-64]

very interesting....

 

[SuperDan]

Just Leave it alone netflix ..................... netflix is loke modern milking of games to movies ............

 

[The Real Jdbye]

That is sad news. It might not have turned out good, but I really want to see what could've been. Zelda is one of my favorite franchises and it's a pity Nintendo is so strict when it comes to licensing out their IPs for movies and TV. Detective Pikachu was excellent and there needs to be more stuff like that.

 

[Julie_Pilgrim]

They didn't cancel the Switch when its concept was leaked

The switch was leaked?

 

[Kwyjor]

I've heard that Nintendo got shy about adaptations after the F-Zero GP Legend anime came out and was kind of weird.

Adam Conover of Adam Ruins Everything, talked about a "secret project" that was in the works while he was at College Humor. It involved the latter collaborating with Nintendo to make a claymation version of Star Fox and Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Well, we got this, at least. Have people forgotten this already?

 

[XDel]

After what was done to Castlevania... I am GRATEFUL!!!