Nintendo and Sony Pictures have announced that they’re teaming up to make a live-action movie based on the popular video game series, The Legend of Zelda. The movie will be produced by Shigeru Miyamoto, who is famous for creating the game, and Avi Arad, who worked on the Spider-Man movies. Wes Ball, known for The Maze Runner, will be the director. Even though we don’t know much about the movie yet, Mr. Miyamoto has confirmed that it’s happening, and Nintendo will be very involved in making it.

The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo’s most successful game series, selling about 150 million copies since it started in 1986. The latest game, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, sold 10 million copies in just three days, making it the fastest-selling Zelda game ever. Its predecessor, Breath of the Wild, is the best-selling game in the series, with about 30 million copies sold overall.

Gaming movies are becoming popular again, and that’s why Nintendo is making a Zelda movie. In the past, movies based on games like Super Mario Bros and Mortal Kombat didn’t do well. But recently, movies like Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros Movie and films based on Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog and Detective Pikachu have been big hits. This success probably encouraged Nintendo to try making a movie again.

Avi Arad, a producer who has worked on successful movies and video games, will lead the production of the Zelda movie. This will be the first time the beloved game series will be made into a big-screen movie, following an animated TV series in 1989. Although there were rumors about a new Zelda series being made by Netflix in 2015, nothing happened. But now, with the movie in the works, fans can look forward to experiencing the world of The Legend of Zelda in a new and exciting way.

Original news source: Legend of Zelda: Nintendo & Sony making live-action film (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Have students work in pairs to summarize the main points of the article. They should write down five key sentences that capture the essence of the news piece. Then, have each pair share their summary with another pair and discuss any differences in what they considered to be the most important information.

– Opinion Spectrum
Instructions: Write a series of statements about the article on the board (e.g., “Video game movies are usually successful,” “A live-action Zelda movie is a great idea,” “Nintendo should focus on games, not movies”). Students line up according to how much they agree or disagree with each statement. Then, select a few students to explain their positions, encouraging a brief class discussion.

– Word Association
Instructions: Write the term “The Legend of Zelda” on the board. Students take turns saying a word or phrase that they associate with this term, which can be anything related to the game series, Nintendo, or movies. If a student hesitates too long or repeats a word, they sit down. The last standing student wins.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Students are tasked with creating a new headline for the article that could attract readers while accurately representing the story. They can work in small groups, and after a set time, each group presents their headline to the class. The rest of the class votes on which headline is the most compelling.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In groups, students discuss and write down their predictions about the upcoming Zelda movie. Questions can include: “Will the movie be a success or a failure?”, “What aspects of the game will be included in the movie?”, or “How will fans of the game react to the movie?” Afterward, each group shares their predictions with the class, and the class discusses the likelihood of each prediction happening.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What type of movie are Nintendo and Sony Pictures planning to create based on The Legend of Zelda video game series?
2. Who are the two main producers of the upcoming Legend of Zelda movie?
3. What role is Wes Ball taking on in the production of the movie?
4. How many copies has The Legend of Zelda game series sold since it began?
5. Which Legend of Zelda game holds the record for the fastest-selling in the series?
6. What trend in the film industry has influenced Nintendo to create a movie based on The Legend of Zelda?
7. Who is Avi Arad and what is his role in the production of the Zelda movie?
8. Has there ever been a previous attempt to bring The Legend of Zelda to television or film before the announcement of this live-action movie?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Nintendo and Sony Pictures have announced that they’re teaming up to make a live-action movie based on the popular video game series, The Legend of Zelda. The movie will be produced by Shigeru Miyamoto, who is (1)______ for (2)______ the game, and Avi Arad, who worked on the Spider-Man movies. Wes Ball, (3)______ for The Maze (4)______, will be the director. Even though we don’t know much about the movie yet, Mr. Miyamoto has confirmed that it’s happening, and (5)______ will be very involved in making it.

The (6)______ of (7)______ is one of Nintendo’s most successful game series, selling about 150 million copies since it (8)______ in 1986. The latest game, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, sold 10 million copies in just three days, making it the fastest-selling Zelda game ever. Its predecessor, Breath of the Wild, is the best-selling game in the series, with about 30 million copies sold overall.

Gaming movies are becoming popular again, and that’s why Nintendo is making a Zelda movie. In the past, movies (9)______ on games like Super Mario Bros and (10)______ Kombat didn’t do well. But recently, movies like Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros Movie and films based on Sega’s Sonic the (11)______ and Detective Pikachu have been big hits. This success probably encouraged Nintendo to try making a movie again.

Avi Arad, a (12)______ who has worked on successful (13)______ and video games, will lead the production of the Zelda movie. This will be the first time the beloved game series will be made into a big-screen movie, (14)______ an animated TV series in 1989. Although there were rumors about a new Zelda series being made by Netflix in 2015, nothing happened. But now, with the movie in the works, fans can look forward to (15)______ the (16)______ of The Legend of Zelda in a new and exciting way.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is your favorite video game, and would you like to see it turned into a movie? Why or why not?
2. How would you feel if a movie was made about your favorite game but it didn’t match your expectations?
3. Do you like the idea of video games being turned into movies? Why or why not?
4. Do you think a person who has never played The Legend of Zelda can enjoy the movie? Why?
5. What makes a video game movie successful, in your opinion?
6. Have you ever been disappointed by a movie that was based on a game? What happened?
7. What is the most important thing for producers to get right when making a movie based on a game?
8. How do you think the involvement of the game’s original creator could impact the movie’s quality?
9. Do you prefer animated movies or live-action movies for game adaptations? Why?
10. What are your thoughts on movies that mix action and fantasy like The Legend of Zelda might?
11. If you could choose a director for a movie based on your favorite game, who would it be and why?
12. What do you think about the trend of making movies from old games that are still popular?
13. How important is it for a movie to be faithful to the video game it’s based on?
14. What are your expectations for the upcoming Legend of Zelda movie?
15. If you could pick any game to be made into a movie that hasn’t been yet, which would it be and why?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. announced
2. series
3. director
4. successful
5. production
6. animated
7. rumors
8. experiencing

Meanings:
(a) The process of making a movie
(b) Made known publicly
(c) Made to look like it is moving
(d) The person in charge of a movie
(e) Stories or information that may not be true
(f) Going through or living through something
(g) A number of related things that come one after another
(h) Achieving what was intended or desired
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who is famous for creating The Legend of Zelda game?
(a) Shigeru Miyamoto
(b) Avi Arad
(c) Wes Ball
(d) Spider-Man

2. What is the latest game in The Legend of Zelda series?
(a) Breath of the Wild
(b) The Maze Runner
(c) Tears of the Kingdom
(d) Super Mario Bros

3. Who will be the director of the upcoming Zelda movie?
(a) Shigeru Miyamoto
(b) Avi Arad
(c) Spider-Man
(d) Wes Ball

4. What is the best-selling game in The Legend of Zelda series?
(a) Tears of the Kingdom
(b) Super Mario Bros
(c) Breath of the Wild
(d) The Maze Runner

5. What encouraged Nintendo to make a Zelda movie?
(a) The failure of past gaming movies
(b) The success of recent gaming movies
(c) The popularity of the Zelda game series
(d) The success of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

6. Who will lead the production of the Zelda movie?
(a) Avi Arad
(b) Wes Ball
(c) Shigeru Miyamoto
(d) Spider-Man

7. When was the last time The Legend of Zelda was made into a big-screen movie?
(a) 1989
(b) 2015
(c) 1995
(d) Never

8. What was the result of the rumors about a new Zelda series being made by Netflix in 2015?
(a) A new series was made
(b) Nothing happened
(c) A new movie was made
(d) A new game was released

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The Legend of Zelda game series has not sold about 150 million copies since it started in 1986.
2. Nintendo and Sony Pictures are not teaming up to make a live-action movie based on The Legend of Zelda video game series.
3. Wes Ball, known for The Maze Runner, will not be the director of the Zelda movie.
4. The movie will be produced by Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of the game, and Avi Arad, who worked on the Spider-Man movies.
5. Avi Arad, a producer who has worked on successful movies and video games, will lead the production of the Zelda movie.
6. Nintendo is not making a Zelda movie because recent gaming movies like Sonic the Hedgehog and Detective Pikachu have been big flops.
7. The latest game, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, sold 10 million copies in just three days, making it the fastest-selling Zelda game ever.
8. Breath of the Wild, a previous game in the series, is the best-selling game in the series, with about 30 million copies sold overall.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. Who are the two main producers involved in the creation of the live-action The Legend of Zelda movie?
2. What role will Nintendo play in the production of the movie?
3. How successful has The Legend of Zelda game series been since its launch in 1986?
4. What recent trend in the film industry has influenced Nintendo’s decision to create a Zelda movie?
5. Has The Legend of Zelda been adapted into any other form of entertainment before the announcement of the upcoming movie? If so, what was it?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What type of movie are Nintendo and Sony Pictures planning to create based on The Legend of Zelda video game series?
Nintendo and Sony Pictures are planning to create a live-action movie based on The Legend of Zelda video game series.

2. Who are the two main producers of the upcoming Legend of Zelda movie?
The two main producers of the upcoming Legend of Zelda movie are Shigeru Miyamoto and Avi Arad.

3. What role is Wes Ball taking on in the production of the movie?
Wes Ball is taking on the role of director in the production of the movie.

4. How many copies has The Legend of Zelda game series sold since it began?
The Legend of Zelda game series has sold about 150 million copies since it began.

5. Which Legend of Zelda game holds the record for the fastest-selling in the series?
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom holds the record for the fastest-selling game in the series.

6. What trend in the film industry has influenced Nintendo to create a movie based on The Legend of Zelda?
The trend of gaming movies becoming popular again has influenced Nintendo to create a movie based on The Legend of Zelda.

7. Who is Avi Arad and what is his role in the production of the Zelda movie?
Avi Arad is a producer who has worked on successful movies and video games, and he will lead the production of the Zelda movie.

8. Has there ever been a previous attempt to bring The Legend of Zelda to television or film before the announcement of this live-action movie?
Yes, there was an animated TV series in 1989 and rumors of a new Zelda series by Netflix in 2015, but the latter did not materialize.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) famous
(2) creating
(3) known
(4) Runner
(5) Nintendo
(6) Legend
(7) Zelda
(8) started
(9) based
(10) Mortal
(11) Hedgehog
(12) producer
(13) movies
(14) following
(15) experiencing
(16) world
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. announced
Answer: (b) Made known publicly

2. series
Answer: (g) A number of related things that come one after another

3. director
Answer: (d) The person in charge of a movie

4. successful
Answer: (h) Achieving what was intended or desired

5. production
Answer: (a) The process of making a movie

6. animated
Answer: (c) Made to look like it is moving

7. rumors
Answer: (e) Stories or information that may not be true

8. experiencing
Answer: (f) Going through or living through something
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who is famous for creating The Legend of Zelda game?
Answer: (a) Shigeru Miyamoto

2. What is the latest game in The Legend of Zelda series?
Answer: (c) Tears of the Kingdom

3. Who will be the director of the upcoming Zelda movie?
Answer: (d) Wes Ball

4. What is the best-selling game in The Legend of Zelda series?
Answer: (c) Breath of the Wild

5. What encouraged Nintendo to make a Zelda movie?
Answer: (b) The success of recent gaming movies

6. Who will lead the production of the Zelda movie?
Answer: (a) Avi Arad

7. When was the last time The Legend of Zelda was made into a big-screen movie?
Answer: (d) Never

8. What was the result of the rumors about a new Zelda series being made by Netflix in 2015?
Answer: (b) Nothing happened
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The Legend of Zelda game series has not sold about 150 million copies since it started in 1986. (Answer: False)
2. Nintendo and Sony Pictures are not teaming up to make a live-action movie based on The Legend of Zelda video game series. (Answer: False)
3. Wes Ball, known for The Maze Runner, will not be the director of the Zelda movie. (Answer: False)
4. The movie will be produced by Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of the game, and Avi Arad, who worked on the Spider-Man movies. (Answer: True)
5. Avi Arad, a producer who has worked on successful movies and video games, will lead the production of the Zelda movie. (Answer: True)
6. Nintendo is not making a Zelda movie because recent gaming movies like Sonic the Hedgehog and Detective Pikachu have been big flops. (Answer: False)
7. The latest game, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, sold 10 million copies in just three days, making it the fastest-selling Zelda game ever. (Answer: True)
8. Breath of the Wild, a previous game in the series, is the best-selling game in the series, with about 30 million copies sold overall. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧