Nintendo Cancelled The Legend Of Zelda, Star Fox Series Due To Netflix Leaks

Nintendo was planning TV show adaptations for both Star Fox and The Legend of Zelda, before a leak from Netflix forced the company to cancel both projects.

Comedian and voice actor Adam Conover explained in a recently published video that back in 2015 Nintendo had contacted CollegeHumor to create a stop-motion show based on Star Fox. Conover, who worked at the studio at the time, recalled asking to be in the office when Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto was visiting to discuss the project.

"At the same time, I worked at CollegeHumor and we had a secret project where we were going to make a claymation version of Star Fox with Nintendo," Conover says. "I know this because Shigeru Miyamoto came to our office and I remember that because I asked my boss if I could be in the office that day… he told me 'no' and I'm still mad at him."

Conover goes on to reveal that a live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda was in the works at Netflix around the same time. This was eventually reported on by The Wall Street Journal, with Conover suggesting that Netflix leaked the information purposefully. This apparently scared Nintendo, who subsequently cancelled both projects.

"A month later, suddenly there were reports that Netflix wasn’t going to do Legend of Zelda anymore," Conover continues. "I was like, 'what happened?' And then I heard from my boss that we weren't going to do Star Fox anymore. I thought that was weird, so I asked him what happened and he said, 'oh, someone at Netflix leaked the Legend of Zelda thing. Nintendo freaked out'."

CollegeHumor transitioned from a full website to a YouTube channel and much of its staff were let go in early 2020. Even if the deal were back on, it likely wouldn't be able to produce the Star Fox show anymore.

Nintendo hasn't revisited either franchise for adaptations since, but it does have a new animated film based on Super Mario scheduled for 2022. Additionally, Nintendo is expanding its IP into the theme park business, although the grand opening for Super Nintendo World was recently delayed.