AI Created A Live-Action Zelda Movie Trailer Directed By Peter Jackson (But It's Awful)

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There's a trailer for an imaginary "Legend of Zelda" movie helmed by "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson making the rounds on TikTok — but here's the catch. It's made using artificial intelligence, and it looks absolutely dreadful.

@curiousrefuge

The Legend of Zelda by Peter Jackson | The Fellowship of the Triforce Join Link as he embarks on a quest to Hyrule from impending darkness. With stunning landscapes, mystical creatures, and heart-pounding action, every frame brings the iconic game to life. This is the Legend of Zelda film you've been waiting for. We hope you enjoy this parody trailer! Want to learn how to create AI content like this? Explore course details through the link in our bio—Enrollment is now open! #zelda #legendofzelda #botw #ai #aifilms #movietrailer #aifilms #midjourney #runway #pikalabs

♬ original sound – Curious Refuge

To be perfectly honest, the A.I. used in the fake trailer looks way too much like Jackson's original trilogy that adapted J.R.R. Tolkien's books for the big screen (the characters definitely resemble actors like Miranda Otto and Orlando Bloom). In a voiceover, someone urges Princess Zelda to go find Link, the protagonist of the video games and the legendary hero — leading to an awkward joke scene where Zelda tries to talk to Link and he lets out an inaudible grunt. (He famously doesn't speak in the games.) Luckily, the real "Legend of Zelda" film probably won't be anything like this — but also, Peter Jackson isn't directing it.

First things first — the film adaptation of "The Legend of Zelda" already has a director, and it's not Peter Jackson. The movie is set to be directed by Wes Ball, who also directed the dystopian "Maze Runner" trilogy. Hilariously, Ball told Entertainment Weekly in a feature about his upcoming movie that he sees it as "this awesome fantasy-adventure movie that isn't like 'Lord of the Rings,' it's its own thing." He continued to say that he's actually inspired by a completely different genre for his "Legend of Zelda" movie, saying, "I've always said, I would love to see a live-action Miyazaki. That wonder and whimsy that he brings to things, I would love to see something like that."

So which "Zelda" game will be the basis for the movie? Nobody's sure, and the team behind the film has been tight-lipped about its progress. When the film was officially announced, famous Nintendo game developer Shigeru Miyamoto took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to comment on the upcoming feature film. On Nintendo's official account, the statement reads, "This is Miyamoto. I have been working on the live-action film of 'The Legend of Zelda' for many years now with Avi Arad-san, who has produced many mega hit films [...] We have now officially started the development of the film with Nintendo itself heavily involved in the production. It will take time until its completion, but I hope you look forward to seeing it." Besides Ball signing on as the director, that's about as much as we know right now ... but based on the franchise, it feels like particularly cinematic entries like "Ocarina of Time" and "Breath of the Wild" are definite candidates.

Naturally, fans have already started discussing the actors they want to play these beloved characters, and plenty of them have pointed out that "Euphoria" star Hunter Schafer has the perfect elfin look for Princess Zelda. When she was approached about this fan-casting, Schafer was pretty psyched. 

"That would be so cool," Schafer said at the time to Variety, referencing the social media boom that anointed her as a perfect choice to play Princess Zelda. "I love the game, personally. I played it as a kid and I still play it now. Who knows! That would be pretty cool."

Schafer is an incredibly accomplished actor despite her young age. After her breakout role as Jules on "Euphoria" — a role that allows her to bring her lived experience as a trans woman to life and which she helps craft and refine with showrunner Sam Levinson — she's appeared in projects like "Belle" and the blockbuster "Hunger Games" prequel "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes," where she plays a supporting role as Tigris, cousin to the main character Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth). Schafer is booked and busy, but she'd probably clear her schedule if Nintendo came calling and asked her to play Princess Zelda.