The legendary Kingdom Hearts franchise, a collaboration between Disney and Square Enix, could be getting an adaptation according to a new rumor.
Kingdom Hearts first released in 2002, combining the magical worlds of Disney with the roleplaying action of a Square Enix game. This unexpected crossover sparked what would become an extensive, beloved franchise spanning multiple core games, spinoffs, manga, novels, and more.
Kingdom Hearts’ premise involves protagonist Sora travelling across Disney worlds wielding a legendary weapon called the Keyblade. He teams up with iconic Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Donald Duck on an epic adventure. The series features appearances from Disney favorites across animation, Pixar, Star Wars and more. It also incorporates Final Fantasy cameos and Square Enix original characters.
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Now, according to reliable insider Daniel Richtman, Disney is developing a Kingdom Hearts adaptation. It’s unknown if this will be a movie or TV series for Disney+. If true, it would mark Kingdom Hearts’ next step – expanding beyond games into film or television.
The Gamer’s George Foster shared the following statement in their coverage of the rumor.
“Yesterday, DanielRPK (who recently suggested that a sequel to Sonic Frontiers was in development, something that was then backed up by another insider) shared a post on their Patreon that reported that an adaptation of Kingdom Hearts is currently being worked on by Disney. They aren’t sure if it’s a series or a movie, but it does seem like something is being worked on.”
This rich crossover concept has earned Kingdom Hearts a passionate, dedicated fanbase over many entries. It’s become one of gaming’s most unique success stories, with a Disney adaptation reaching for that same ambition.
A Kingdom Hearts adaptation would showcase the extensive cast and variety of Disney. Over 20 Disney films are represented in the games as fully-realized 3D worlds. From classics like Aladdin, The Little Mermaid and The Lion King to modern hits like Frozen, Tangled and Toy Story. Part of the series’ magic is seeing these films intersect through Kingdom Hearts’ original story; which would be perfect for a long-running TV series.
The rumor of an adaptation isn’t completely new either. Back in 2020, reports indicated Disney had asked Square Enix to produce a Kingdom Hearts pilot. This pilot would’ve used Unreal Engine to recreate the games’ cinematics. However, those plans appear to have changed in favor of a full production.
Kingdom Hearts also benefits from Disney’s roster of veteran voice talent. Many actors from the animated films reprise roles in the games, led by Haley Joel Osment as Sora. Bringing back these performers would further connect a Kingdom Hearts adaptation to Disney lore.
All speculation for now, but a Kingdom Hearts movie or show has huge crossover appeal. It could capture fans of both sprawling Disney mythology and Square Enix’s stylish action games. Kingdom Hearts marked a monumental collaboration back in 2002 – and an adaptation promises to continue that bridging magic into new media.
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Rumors before were its CGI however the perfect adaption would be a 2D anime with Nomura supervising from Bones. The mobile games, midquels, and prequels would all be great adapted especially the mobile game story. Here’s the bigger question where is Kingdom Hearts 4? It was announced in 2022 but no update since and they’re talking about FF7 Part 3 but not KH4 at all.