The iconic Kingdom Hearts series has built some fairly convoluted lore since it first launched in 2002, but some fans hope that Hollywood can adapt the tricky source material. Even the sequels consistently earned strong scores among both critics and longtime fans.
The most recent game, Kingdom Hearts 3, launched back in 2019 and its scores were a little more divisive. But there is still a massive audience for the series. Fans are surely surprised that Mickey will end up in a horror movie first, albeit a twisted version of Disney’s mascot.
Kingdom Hearts features many familiar characters that could potentially cause legal hiccups on the way to the big screen. However, it is also a deeply creative series with a gloriously operatic tone and plenty of cinematic potential.
Is Kingdom Hearts getting a movie adaptation?
At this time, Kingdom Hearts publisher Square Enix has not officially confirmed that the successful series is getting turned into a movie. However, a recent report from The DisInsider claimed that Disney is trying to develop an animated movie based on Kingdom Hearts.
These rumors generated a lot of buzz surrounding the adaptation. Still, The DisInsider also suggested that nothing is greenlit, so an adaptation could still change form, possibly as a series on Disney Plus.
Some fans may be disappointed if Disney does aim for an animated project instead of a live-action version of Kingdom Hearts. But translating the series’ fantastic world into animation would surely be more convenient.
Square Enix first announced the next game in the series, Kingdom Hearts 4, back in 2022. It was revealed as part of an anniversary for the franchise. Some recent rumors suggest the anticipated sequel might launch in 2025. If so, Disney might wait for Kingdom Hearts 4 to renew interest in the series and line up marketing before announcing a movie adaptation.
What will a Kingdom Hearts movie be about?
Since Disney and Square Enix have not confirmed anything, it’s unclear if a Kingdom Hearts movie would directly adapt the existing stories from previous games. It could potentially choose to explore a completely new narrative in pursuit of creative freedom, or to tie into the next game.
The original Kingdom Hearts game introduced the hero Sora, as well as the villainous Heartless. After the Heartless attack Sora’s world, he journeys across various other worlds inspired by Disney properties, trying to rescue his friends and home.
So, the first outing offers a familiar and easygoing story that would likely help newcomers follow a movie adaptation. But there’s still plenty of other lore from subsequent games, such as the prequel Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. These could offer both improved context and fan service for longtime players.
