Kotaku (via The Wall Street Journal) is reporting that a series based on Nintendo's incredibly popular series "The Legend of Zelda" is in the early stages of development as a live-action series on Netflix.
"As it seeks writers to work on the show, Netflix is describing it as 'Game of Thrones' for a family audience," WSJ's source claims.
Because the streaming service is still looking for writers, it's clear that the show isn't anywhere near the production stage yet.
If this report is accurate, it could be a bold move for Nintendo...and one they've held off for quite some time. There was the "Super Mario Bros. Super Show" in the late 80s and early 90s that contained animated cartoons based on Nintendo properties (including "Zelda" as well as "Super Mario Bros."), but the company hasn't produced or licensed much in the way of movie/television content since the horrible fiasco that was the 1993 live-action "Super Mario Bros." movie.
At one point a few years back, acclaimed action director John Woo was putting together a "Metroid" film in collaboration with Nintendo...but that project was never completed for various reasons, unfortunately.
Regardless, "The Legend of Zelda" will be a difficult video game property to adapt to TV., first and foremost because the protagonist Link is silent, never speaking in the games themselves. However, he did talk in a mostly ridiculed animated series and a couple of god-awful Phillips CD-i games.
Still, Netflix has been doing some great work with their original programming, and they're getting set to take the wraps off of two shows based on Marvel Comics properties: "Daredevil" and "A.K.A. Jessica Jones." The concept of them making the jump from comic IPs into video game IPs isn't all that out of line.
Stay tuned to HNGN for more on this possible "Legend of Zelda" TV series as it develops.
