Zelda veteran worried that Link speaking in the Zelda movie might ruin the character

The art designer of Zelda: Majora's Mask says he fears the magic of Link "will disappear the moment Link utters a word."
Text: Jonas Mäki
Published 2026-04-08

Although he may not be the most well-known Nintendo veteran, Takaya Imamura is definitely one of the giants. His list of achievements includes F-Zero and Star Fox, for which he was an art designer (and is thus responsible for iconic characters such as Captain Falcon and Fox McCloud), and Imamura also played a key role in the creation of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.

He retired in 2021, but has continued to be active in the gaming industry, and as recently as last year, he released Omega 6: The Triangle Stars. He has also continued to share his thoughts on the gaming world, and Nintendo in particular. Now Imamura is commenting on next year's Zelda movie, in which we'll hear Link speak for the first time, and he doesn't seem at all convinced that this is the right path to take. He writes after translation:

"I'm a little worried that the magic everyone has carried within them when it comes to Zelda will disappear the moment Link utters a word."

It would undoubtedly be harder to make a meaningful Zelda movie without a speaking Link, but at the same time, it's easy to understand his concern. Will we perceive Link differently after he has been given a more defined personality and a voice in Sony's film adaptation?

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What are your thoughts on Link speaking?

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