Kingdom Hearts

Kingdom Hearts tipped to be Hollywood’s next gaming adaptation

Kingdom Hearts tipped to be Hollywood’s next gaming adaptation
Images via Square Enix

Written by 

Tom Chapman

Published 

24th Apr 2024 13:04

What do you get when you merge the fantasy frolics of Final Fantasy with the House of Mouse? It's an idea that shouldn't really work on paper, and yet, Kingdom Hearts is one of Square Enix's most popular franchises. It always seemed like it was only a matter of time until it was adapted into a new medium. 

First released on the PlayStation 2 back in 2002, the original Kingdom Hearts introduced us to Sora, Kairi, and Riku - joined by fan-favourites like Donald, Goofy, Cloud, and Sephiroth. Square Enix was onto a winner here, and although we've struggled to keep track of the various entries, we know Kingdom Hearts IV is officially on the way.

Kingdom Hearts adaptation reportedly on the way

A fourth mainline game might not be the only project in the pipeline, as reputable insider DanielRPK claims an adaptation is on the way. Although the leaker doesn't reveal whether it's live-action or not, we imagine the style of Kingdom Hearts would lend itself better to animation.

Then again, with the success of Sonic the Hedgehog and Detective Pikachu bridging the gap between live-action and animation, imagine a chart-topping Kingdom Hearts movie that took a leaf out of Who Framed Roger Rabbit's book.

Word of a Kingdom Hearts TV series under the Disney+ banner first started doing the rounds in 2020, although many assumed it had been axed after it went quiet. Now, DanielRPK suggests it could be a movie and might not be done in-house by Square Enix. 

A Kingdom Hearts movie can give us our Final Fantasy Fix

Kingdom Hearts 4 Donald and Goofy
Click to enlarge

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Like we saw Disney win big with Wreck-It Ralph having nods to a tonne of other franchises, we imagine Kingdom Hearts could work in a similar way. Importantly, it can fill that Final Fantasy-shaped hole in our lives after we heard a proposed live-action series was canned.

If Kingdom Hearts is a success, it could spawn a series of sequels or even serve as a jumping-off point for a Final Fantasy adaptation. Square Enix's flagship franchise would be a massive gamble to adapt, although a KH adaptation can test the waters to see if there's enough hype there - spoiler, there is.

Until Disney and Square Enix make an official announcement, we'll take this one with a massive pinch of salt. Still, Sora could put that giant key to good use and unlock the full potential of Kingdom Hearts' move to the small or silver screen. 

Tom Chapman
About the author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
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