I don't know how to feel...

Even if this ends up not being any good, I'd still totally watch it because the idea of a live-action Zelda show sounds ridiculous.

@the_ruiner said:

Oh, yeah, I'm not saying it'll last; it's just kind of crazy that we're at the point where the pitch for a potential Zelda TV show references a super-adult HBO production over something much more directly influential on the series. Such is pop culture, I guess.

Nintendo being aggressive with their brand, trying to get it out there in more ways, like they said they would. I guess we shouldn't be surprised.

Anyhow, I don't think trying to realize Hyrule as a less abstract world with politics, classes or whatever, is something I'd ever want to see. But it feels like that would almost be required for it to make the transition into a TV show. I like the Zelda world because it's filled with happy-go-lycky goofballs with their own little problems usually blissfully unaware that something bad is even going on.

They are what make that world, along with a small assortment of magical demi-god beings like the Deku tree, the great Valoo etc. that help the hyrulians along. I'm not sure you can make that a show.

How has no one dropped that fake trailer IGN made for April Fools Day one year in here yet?

I'll keep my expectations low, but I REALLY hope this ends up being good.

Family friendly game of thrones sounds like it'll be terrible or Labyrinth-esque. Please be the latter

Then it would seem to me that this gets killed before it begins.

It should Been Donkey Kong Country on Hulu.

Oh man. That commercial...

Will it have voice acting?

Only reason I would be excited for this is if they cast Link as a woman because the sheer amount of nerd rage would be hilarious.

I want Kevin Spacey as Ganon now

MY BOY! Not giving Link a voice is what all true warriors strive for!

I think Netflix already tried a GAME OF THRONES-esque type show with their MARCO POLO series. Wasn't all that great.

I would be more interested in a CG-animated ZELDA show.

"I play Zelda for the story, not the brilliantly designed gameplay."

- No One Ever

I think Netflix already tried a GAME OF THRONES-esque show with their MARCO POLO series. It wasn't all that great.

I would be more interested in a CG-animated ZELDA show.

"Let's make a TV series from a franchise known for its SILENT PROTAGONIST."

"Okay."

As much as I'd love to see something happen (good or bad), I highly doubt anything will come of this. It possibly being a live action Game of Thrones style television series has me questioning the need to use the Zelda brand at all. How does Tingle fit into that version of that universe? They should just take a page from the following video and make a John Hughes style television series more akin in tone to Hercules or Xena. :)

COULD it be good? Sure, but why take the chance? At least it is with someone like Netflix and not a network.

1. There is no way this actually happens.

2. There is no way this is actually good if it does happen.

As much as I love Zelda (and I really do) this just seems to have terrible idea written all over it. Just give us a decent new Zelda game and I'll be happy.

Sure, why not. This is the future we're living in folks. Time to get used to it.

I really hope that somewhere, some Netflix exec is thinking "Well, EXCUUUUUUUSE me, Internet!"

"Should Link talk?"

With the right people, anything can be done. I've been surprised many times by "unworkable" ideas turning into fantastic experiences by the right, passionate people with vision. Lord of the Rings, for instance.

One hurdle they'll have to overcome is the tone and style of the series. It has a lot of leeway from the large style/tone changes between each entry in the series as well as the live-action commercials and other marketing, but to a certain extent, it can't be too cartoony if it's live-action and it certainly can't go Game of Thrones, which is what every marketing suit is going to tell them. (Minus blood/sex, obviously) They'll have to have a guy like Peter Jackson to continue that example with clarity in vision for seeing this on film and not being a generic medieval fantasy world that LoZ certainly isn't.

A bad idea, but very interesting.

Using real-person logic instead of marketing logic, I've discovered a much better analogy for what this show ends up being, if they don't cancel it:

Young adult fantasy literature adaptation. Eragon, Narnia, Percy Jackson, maybe Harry Potter. Anything like that, boiled down to the essential cliches. It's going to be all coming-of-age story, bright impetuous lad proving himself as a hero, old guys grimly dispensing "epic" dialog about the darkness that threatens our world. The Zelda version of that is easy to envision.

Hunh didn't see this coming. Would have thought Zelda was more theatrical release material than a tv series.

Forgetting all of the blood and sex in Game of Thrones, how could you even compare Legend of Zelda to that series's tone, plot, characters, etc.? I haven't seen the TV show, I'll admit, but I'm in the middle of the second book and it's just chock full of politics and maneuvering and battles and trying to outmaneuver people to gain an advantage. The exceptions would be Jon Snow and Arya Stark's chapters, but even those don't even come close to the whole fantastical adventures of Link.

I don't want to shit on the idea too much because, hey, maybe something good will come of this. Maybe. There's always a slight chance that something like this will come out good, and maybe they'll adapt a "hero's tale" sort of story to the TV screen pretty well.

lol, because Dan Ryckert thinking something is dumb makes it a bad idea.

Zelda would be easy to adapt into a series of some kind. Who really cares if they do or don't? As long as its fun and well made. Your games will still be there, untouched and unaffected.

Get. Over. It.

I will watch every second of this even if it's terrible!

I will enjoy it, you will not take this away from me internet!!!

@sgtsphynx: Agreed. This will never see the light of day.

This sounds like such a terrible fucking idea. Even if I was a Zelda fan this would sound abysmal.

thank you for this.

PLEASE, NO

Needs more catchphrase..

Yeah fucking right.

When something official is announced, THEN I might believe this.

Fingers are crossed. Netflix has been producing some pretty good stuff. I don't know how much "Game of Thrones" it can be, being more family friendly (which makes sense), 'cause Game of Thrones is refreshing and interesting because of its more mature themes in a fantasy setting, but here's to hoping.

Get a good writer who's also a huge Zelda nerd. Not just a good writer that's willing to do it. Shouldn't be too hard to find.

I'm hoping that this is just some really elaborate trolling method by Nintendo. Game of Thrones style? Not gonna work. Let's just focus on some awesome new Zelda games, do what you've been doing for decades there, Nintendo. Remember the last live action adaption you tried to make of a major IP of your's in Super Mario Bros?

Oh man, a Zelda series that has tones of Labyrinth to it would be just fantastic. I now have hopes for this I didn't have otherwise haha.

Anyways, I'm excitedish for it, I look at it this way, if it comes out and is bad, we lost nothing and perhaps gain bad comedy gold for a while.
Or it turns out good, and that's well... good.

My guess is the latter. I doubt it'll star Link. I actually have literally no evidence to back that up, but my gut tells me it's true.

Oh god...

Whether it's a good or a bad idea it doesn't matter. The amount of things an idea has to overcome before it becomes an actual real show or movie is so vast that, like anything else, there is a 95% chance this never even happens. If this piece of news was least about the production of a pilot it might mean something substantial but as it stands it's non news.

This was the first thing I thought of when this news came out.

@brendan said:

You're right, but I think the fact that Nintendo are open to producing a Zelda TV show is sort of significant.

@conmulligan: As it should. I've never been a huge fan of Lord of the Rings even though I realize that it is the father of most modern fantasy. Game of Thrones however is infinitely more interesting.

Also you can't make a family friendly version of GOT... That defeats the whole thing that makes it interesting, which is that it is grim.