[HTML1]

It's safe to say that The Legend of Zelda is one of the biggest franchises in the video games industry. Since the first game released in 1986, the series has produced some of the most memorable and well-loved titles among Nintendo's reliably impressive output.

In recent years, as movie adaptations of popular video games have become all the more popular, many fans have wondered why we haven't seen a silver screen depiction of Hyrule. Perhaps Nintendo still feels sour about reaction to the live-action Super Mario Bros. movie even twenty years after its release.

However, you can leave it to the franchise's most dedicated fans to produce their own take on the series. It's been said that Nintendo likes to follow its Zelda format a little too strictly, but the Western-inspired Hang 'Em Hyrule has no such problems exploring the limits of its subject matter.

Swapping the series' bladed weaponry for six-shooters — albeit with a brief cameo from the iconic Master Sword — Hang 'Em Hyrule is an intriguing glimpse at an alternate version of the Zelda universe. Perhaps aiming to recreate the series' standard final boss battle, we see Link and Zelda team up to take down Ganondorf in a duel.

Some fan films can end up looking cheap and amateurish, but it's quite clear that this project by Beat Down Boogie was assembled with a lot of love and care. The production design is excellent, with the costumes standing out in particular as a novel but appropriate twist on the official look of the series.

Watching Hang 'Em Hyrule really hammers home just how easy it would be to change up the Zelda formula while keeping its most important elements intact. The next console installment in the franchise seems to be a rather traditional entry, but it would be interesting to see Nintendo take a similar risk in the future.

Earlier this year, it was reported that Netflix was working on an adaptation of The Legend of Zelda. Since then, those claims have been refuted — but with Nintendo's growing focus on leveraging its most potent brands, it wouldn't be too much of a shock to see some kind of adaptation take shape in the near future.

If Nintendo does indeed pull the trigger on a Zelda movie or TV show, the tone of Hang 'Em Hyrule wouldn't be a bad starting point. It wouldn't be the easiest video game to adapt, but this short film shows that a few tweaks can make for something rather intriguing.

Source: Beat Down Boogie - YouTube