Twisted Metal’s Stephanie Beatriz would love to star in a Zelda adaptation
It seems like we wait for one good video game adaptation, and then, they all come along at once. While Detective Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog set the ball rolling, 2023 gifted us The Last of Us, Twisted Metal, and more to continue the trend.
Looking at the upcoming slate of proposed video game adaptations, there's a smorgasbord of projects in the works, boasting everything from Amazon's Fallout and God of War series, a Five Nights at Freddy's sequel, and a tease of a Mario Cinematic Universe. But there's one that's on everyone's lips - The Legend of Zelda.
Stephanie Beatriz is game for a Zelda adaptation
Click to enlargeGGRecon spoke to Stephanie Beatriz ahead of Twisted Metal Season 1 arriving on Paramount+, where the star got candid about the boom in video game adaptations and her dream gig. Known for playing the fan-favourite Rosa Diaz in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Beatriz has now swapped the precinct for the apocalyptic world of Twisted Metal.
While Beatriz has plans for where she'd like to see her character of Quiet go in Twisted Metal Season 2, we grilled her on what other video game adaptations she'd like to see on the small or silver screen. Echoing what many say, the star put her money on Zelda.
Championing what makes the Nintendo fantasy franchise a personal favourite and why she'd like to see it adapted, Beatriz said, "That was another kind of open, 'What's going to happen now? What happens now? What's in this cave?' I think if done well, that would be pretty amazing."
When pressed on Sony's upcoming Zelda movie (away from Universal and Illumination's next Mario outing), we pushed Beatriz on who she'd like to play. Despite saying she has her "hands full with Twisted Metal right now," she added, "I think Link is the coolest character of all."
Continuing about her love of Link, Beatriz added, "What better character is there? I think he's definitely underrated, and I think the doofy little nobody is always the one that throws the ring in the fire. It's always the doofy little nobody that everybody underestimates that is the real winner of the game."
Just don't ask her to play Link
Click to enlargeStill, don't expect Beatriz to lend her vocals to Link or play a gender-flipped version of the character. When asked whether she'd sign up there and then if someone asked her to play Link, Beatriz admitted she's not right for the part.
"Here's what I would say, 'Listen, I don't know who gave you this job in casting, but I'm just going to let you know that this is the wrong choice. Let's read through the script and figure this out because there's probably something that's right for me.' I mean, [it's] hilarious to think about, but I think that that might be a miscast."
As for why video game adaptations are finally turning their tarnished reputation around, Beatriz mused, "I think people are really struggling to figure out what it is that they want out of TV because there's so much of it. And one of the strong things is that there's so much of it that a video game adaptation has going for it.
"People already know a bit of the story. It's a bit like, 'Oh here's this retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears,' It's like, 'Well I know that story, maybe I'll watch that and see if I like it.' That's a big thing that these video games have going for them, but I also think there's been a lot of talented people working right now."
Even if Beatriz won't be squeezing into a green tunic to play Link, there are any number of Zelda's colourful characters she'd be perfect for. Personally, we'd cast Beatriz as a no-nonsense version of Navi or a fearsome warrior like Impa. Either way, at least Sony knows Beatriz is willing to dance to the tune of "Saria's Song" if the part is right. Just don't expect her to voice a surly Link.
All episodes of Twisted Metal Season 1 are available on Paramount+ in the UK from March 21.
