The Epic Fantasy Video Game Franchise Disney Needs To Adapt
Recent video game adaptations such as The Super Mario Bros. Movie and The Last of Us have shown the world that, when done right, can be a major success. Today, there are more plans than ever before to bring video game IP to movie and TV screens. But one popular gaming franchise has sadly been missing from that talk: Kingdom Hearts.
Nearly 22 years later, it’s wild to think that Disney hasn’t somehow adapted Kingdom Hearts into a movie franchise or series.
Back in 2002, gamers were introduced to something completely different when Square Enix and Disney released Kingdom Hearts for PlayStation 2. The fantasy role-playing game combined popular Disney and Pixar characters with Final Fantasy favorites and newly crafted heroes from creators Tetsuya Nomura and Shinki Hashimoto.
Gamers took control of Sora, a boy yearning for adventure, who – along with his friends Riku and Kairi – wishes for nothing more than to leave his monotonous life behind on the Destiny Islands. Getting his wish, Sora is separated from his friends after darkness and the Heartless enemies consume his home.
Sora finds himself the new owner of a weapon known as the keyblade. As he’s swept away from his home into another world (Traverse Town), he meets Donald Duck and Goofy, two companions who will journey with Sora throughout the entire franchise.
Kingdom Hearts was extremely successful in sales and quickly became one of PlayStation’s Greatest Hits. With a slew of intermediary titles, the epic story continued in Kingdom Hearts II, and the long-awaited threequel, Kingdom Hearts III, released in 2019.
While the story may at its heart be about Sora, we have to recognize Mickey – Disney didn’t get its nickname “the House of Mouse” for nothing.
Nearly 22 years later, it’s wild to think that Disney hasn’t somehow adapted Kingdom Hearts into a movie franchise or series. A property like Kingdom Hearts has the potential to appeal to a broad range of viewers.
To start, there’s a large portion of games who are undoubtedly hooked to the franchise (especially given the Final Fantasy crossover) who may not otherwise tune into a Disney character-themed show.
If done right, a Kingdom Hearts project could appear to a broad age group, enticing younger generations with countless beloved Disney characters and adults with the heroic viewpoint of these characters we grew up with. Who wouldn’t want to see Donald Duck throw lightning bolts out of a magical rod at Maleficent, or Goofy hurling enemies into the sky with his twirling shield combo?
And while the story may at its heart be about Sora, we have to recognize Mickey – Disney didn’t get its nickname “the House of Mouse” for nothing. In Kingdom Hearts, King Mickey is easily the most overpowered character. In short, he’s a badass keyblade wielder on an epic journey that makes the mouse’s iconic status even more admirable. No kid nor adult can deny this version of Mickey is Walt’s creation at his best.
The fantasy role-playing game combined popular Disney and Pixar characters with Final Fantasy favorites and newly crafted heroes from creators Tetsuya Nomura and Shinki Hashimoto.
Disney could ride on current popularities and make the Kingdom Hearts series an anime. The video games already had that anime appeal, which means they would serve far better as an anime movie or series than an animated or even live-action adaptation.
Another reason the franchise could benefit from a series is the story’s overarching convolution. I’m sure I’m not alone in saying I missed out on plenty of storylines by not playing many in-between titles released on other devices.
But even though I often found myself confused with new characters and the endless explanations of hearts, heartless, and nobodies, Sora’s journey makes the story worth it all. Explaining in episodic format how all of the creatures and worlds merge would be a great way to connect it all.
Given this wide appeal, it should come as no shock to anyone that there actually have been talks of a Kingdom Hearts adaption over the years. As far back as 2003, there were plans for Disney to adapt the franchise into a series. In 2020, reports that Disney+ was working on a streaming show surfaced, but no concrete plans have ever been confirmed.
Kingdom Hearts is a one-of-a-kind franchise. With decades to get this right, I can’t believe that there are still no confirmed plans to adapt this classic video game. Hopefully, Disney will take another look at the glorious IP in front of them and choose to bring Sora and Co. to a new generation of keyblade enthusiasts.
