10 enemy monsters from the Legend of Zelda games that should appear in the movie

Since its debut in 1986, the Legend of Zelda series has remained one of the most popular and critically acclaimed video game franchises of all time.

Owned, published and developed by Nintendo, the Legend of Zelda games focus on various incarnations of a hero named Link, who sets out to save the Kingdom of Hyrule from the evil sorcerer known as Ganondorf (otherwise simply known as 'Ganon'), who plans to conquer the land so that he can impose his strict rule as a tyrannical dictator.

The Legend of Zelda franchise is also famed for being filled with plenty of strange and unique monsters that Link often needs to fight, and many of the fearsome enemies featured in the games have now become iconic among fans. This list examines 10 of the most recognizable and popular monsters from the franchise, which will hopefully be making their big-screen debut in the film.

Fans will no doubt be delighted to see incredible monsters showing up in the film when it arrives in 2027, and it seems almost certain that at least some of the enemies on the list will indeed be featured. They should be, at least.

Keese

These horrific bat-like creatures have menaced Link since they first appeared in the original Legend of Zelda game all the way back in 1986. They swooped down from afar and attacked Link with their razor-sharp fangs, and the fact that they remained airborne made them a nuisance for the player to defeat, as you would either need to wait until they were in range or use a well-timed long-range attack to defeat them.

Although they have been an annoyance to players for many years, fans would still be thrilled to see these iconic flying monsters, which have been part of the franchise since its inception, finally make their debut on the big screen.

Octorok

Another monster that has menaced Link since the very start of the Legend of Zelda franchise is the Octorok, an octopus-like monster that usually dwells on land and attacks by shooting rocks out of its tube-like mouth. Link usually needs to either deflect the rock with his shield or slash at the Octorok before it has a chance to shoot at him, making them a cumbersome but satisfying enemy to defeat.

These tentacled fiends would certainly be a welcome addition to the film, especially since the sight of Link deflecting rocks fired at him on the big screen would make for a spectacular action sequence.

ReDeads

Arguably, the most terrifying enemies ever to have appeared in the Legend of Zelda series are ReDeads, which first showed up in Ocarina of Time. These terrifying, zombie-like monsters emit a mortifying screech that freezes Link with fear, allowing them to attack him while he is momentarily paralyzed.

The best way to defeat these shambling ghouls is to attack them from behind or from the side, so that they cannot directly look at Link in order to paralyze him with their ear-piercing shriek.

Clearly, ReDeads are truly terrifying enemies that push the boundaries of the family-friendly Legend of Zelda franchise. It would certainly be great to see such horrifying creatures appear in the upcoming film, especially if Nintendo and Sony are hoping for the movie to frighten its viewers in addition to entertaining them.

Chuchus

Chuchus are bizarre, slime-like creatures that debuted in Majora’s Mask. They emit powerful jolts of electricity, allowing them to shock Link whenever he faces them in battle, causing them to be formidable opponents, despite looking like lumps of jelly. They also change sizes during fights to dodge strikes from Link while also striking at him from all angles, so they are clearly far more formidable opponents than they initially appear.

It would definitely be challenging to bring these slime-like monsters to life on the big screen, since their blob-like physiology will be hard to convincingly visualize in live-action. But we can assume that Sony Pictures Imageworks, the renowned VFX company that works on most of Sony’s tentpole films, will be creating the visual effects for the upcoming Legend of Zelda movie. And that they will do a great job of making the Chuchus look memorable and formidable on the big screen if the gelatinous monsters do indeed appear in the film.

Darknut

These hulking, knight-like enemies debuted in the original game and went on to become series regulars, and they are some of the toughest non-boss monsters that Link faces in the games, as their heavy armor and superior swordsmanship make them truly formidable opponents. In order to defeat them, Link needs to slash at them from behind or to the sides in order to loosen the straps on their armor, making them more vulnerable and prone to damage.

Therefore, if the makers of the film are hoping to include some epic sword duels, Darknuts would absolutely be a welcome addition to the picture.

Lizalfos

Lizalfos are reptilian warriors with vaguely humanoid proportions who have been menacing Link since Ocarina of Time. Tall enough to reach the ceiling and armed with swords, axes, and all manner of other sharp objects, these fearsome reptiles will often stop at nothing until Link has been cut to pieces, and the sight of a huge, lizard-like monstrosity brandishing a sword will definitely be enough to send most adventurers speeding in the opposite direction.

Fans would no doubt be hoping to see these giant reptiles on the big screen, and their reptilian physiques would no doubt look incredible in live-action.

Wizzrobes

Although most enemies in the Legend of Zelda franchise rely on brute force in order to defeat Link, Wizzrobes instead use magic to subdue the Hero of Time. And while their gigantic robes cover most of their bodies, the glimpses of their undead features, which players have occasionally been shown since Wizzrobes initially appeared in the first game, have always been enough to give players chills.

Clearly, these undead wizards are not to be trifled with, and their telepathic abilities and the fearsome spells they shoot from their wands or out of their hands make them some of the most formidable magic-wielding enemies in gaming history. And their colorful and highly explosive spells would also look fantastic on the big screen, especially if the filmmakers wish to remind us that magic can be just as deadly as brute strength.

Skulltulas

Skulltulas might be even more terrifying than ReDeads, and fans have been terrified by these spider-like creatures since they first appeared in Ocarina of Time. If the filmmakers are indeed planning on terrifying their audience at certain points in the film, then Skulltulas would be a welcome addition.

Resembling a human skull with eight spider legs sticking out of it, the mere sight of a Skulltula will often be enough to terrify players of any age, with the way in which they slowly descend from their webs also being spectacularly creepy. Ocarina of Time even introduced a Hylian family who had been transformed into Skulltulas as a result of their greed, because a massively pro-capitalist corporation like Nintendo clearly felt the need to remind its consumers not to want to have too much.

Either way, Skulltulas would look mortifyingly memorable if they crawl their way into the film, but only time will tell if they do indeed make an appearance in the big-screen adaptation.

Stalfos

These skeletal brutes often charge at Link with clubs, swords, and other melee weapons, and the player needs to skillfully dodge their attacks while also strategically placing blows of their own in order to chop them to pieces. Stalfos' skulls have even been shown bouncing around and reattaching themselves to the rest of their scattered bones after Link initially defeats them, so the skull often needs to be completely destroyed in order to ensure that they cannot regenerate.

And the sight of the decapitated skull bouncing around on the ground as it desperately searches for its missing body parts has proven to be both disturbing and hilarious, and it would certainly be something which audiences will never forget if it is indeed showcased in the film.

Moblins/Bokoblins

Fans will definitely be very familiar with Moblins and Bokoblins, as they all belong to the commonly occurring "Blin" family of goblin-like species, which comprises a large bulk of Ganon’s army. The hulking Moblins have been menacing Link since the original game, while the smaller Bokoblins first showed up in The Wind Waker. There have also been various other members of the Blin family featured in the games, such as Bulblins, who made their debut in Twilight Princess, and Boarblins, who debuted in Link’s Awakening.

Resembling the goblins and orcs from the Lord of the Rings franchise, the Blins are cunning and resourceful, being skilled in melee combat and tacking warfare strategies, making them ideal foot soldiers for Ganon to use in his schemes to conquer Hyrule.

And because they play such a huge role in the games, they are also arguably the most recognizable monsters of the entire franchise, so it seems almost certain that they will be showing up in the film.

Since they are the most common enemies Link faces in the game, the various Blin monsters have become synonymous with the Legend of Zelda franchise, in the same way that Stormtroopers are commonly associated as being the main group of enemy enforcers from the Star Wars franchise. Therefore, fans can most likely expect to see Moblins and Bokoblins appearing on the big screen when the upcoming Legend of Zelda film opens in wide release.

In case you missed it, Nintendo has partnered with Sony to release a Legend of Zelda movie, which will release on May 7, 2027. The film will be directed by Wes Ball, who previously helmed the Maze Runner films and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, with Derek Connolly and T.S. Nowlin providing the screenplay. Benjamin Evan Ainsworth has been cast as Link, while Bo Bragason will appear as the eponymous Princess Zelda.

To date, over 150 million Legend of Zelda video games have been sold across all platforms, and the series has been heavily praised for its revolutionary gameplay, innovation, narrative, and soundtrack, with many of the entries in the series being ranked as some of the best video games ever made.