By Sagar V. Mankar 
Nintendo has shut down the crowdfunding campaign for ‘Lost in Hyrule,’ an unofficial live-action film based on The Legend of Zelda series. The project was canceled less than a week after launching its Kickstarter campaign, marking yet another instance of the gaming giant taking action against fan-made adaptations.
The fan-driven film, spearheaded by director Chris Carpenter, aimed to explore an “untold conclusion to the Hero of Time’s saga” – a narrative set after the beloved video game storylines of Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask. Carpenter himself was set to portray Link, with Avi Lake from “A Series of Unfortunate Events” cast as Princess Zelda.
The team had an initial funding goal of $30,000, with plans to start shooting in April and release the full film by Fall 2025. The project had already garnered impressive momentum, collecting nearly $24,000 from enthusiastic supporters before Nintendo’s intervention.
Producer Dio Traverso confirmed the project’s cancellation in a heartfelt update on the Kickstarter page. “We just got the unfortunate news that we need to shut down the Kickstarter campaign,” Traverso stated, expressing gratitude to supporters while confirming that no funds would be collected.
In fact, the “Lost in Hyrule” team had always been aware of the potential for legal challenges, with their Kickstarter FAQ explicitly stating their willingness to comply with Nintendo’s wishes. The project’s early FAQ noted, “This is Nintendo’s IP and if they decide to halt our production, we will.”
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time fans have attempted to bring Hyrule to life through unauthorized projects. Previously, fans have created impressive adaptations, including an animated feature inspired by Studio Ghibli’s distinctive style.
The shutdown comes at a time when Nintendo is actively developing its own official live-action Zelda movie. Directed by Wes Ball, the film will be produced by Zelda franchise creator Shigeru Miyamoto and Hollywood producer Avi Arad, known for his work on Marvel films.
The Zelda franchise continues to thrive in the gaming world, with “Tears of the Kingdom” breaking sales records since its Nintendo Switch launch in 2023. Rumors are also circulating about a potential remake of an older Zelda game for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 console, though these remain unverified.
Source: Nintendo Life