News ► A Kingdom Hearts Disney Plus CGI series is rumored to be in the works

[Absent]

So like who is Grace? Is she a credible source? Doesn't sound like it from what I'm hearing here lol.

the person who made up the seven wonders of Twilight Town is more reliable.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

So like who is Grace? Is she a credible source? Doesn't sound like it from what I'm hearing here lol.

She has been right on some occasions about Marvel, DC, and Disney news. She has also been very wrong on occasions, so she isn't consistent. She does have a number of inside sources and she used to work for Marvel for a very brief period of time.

She isn't a source I would ever use just because I think she's an awful person and is hiding her true beliefs behind coded language and will flip-flop her personal beliefs to keep her audience appeased. I put her at the level of a pap. They get stuff right but they are slimy sleuths.

 

[VanitasRemnant]

Because people like jumping to conclusions and it's cool to hate Nomura lately, lol. People are gonna disagree with me about it, but ever since KH3 came out (or even with DDD), they've wanted to send that man to the pastures. I can understand not being a fan of some of the creative decisions he's made in recent years, but he's still the reason why this series is as great as it is. The way how some word it though, I'm like damn, maybe it's time to move on to a different series or something. Cause some people talk crazy when it comes to that guy.

Yeah I agree, I can perfectly understand people disliking some of the story decisions that Nomura makes and thinking the story is unnecessarily too complex (I mean I've been a fan for a while and have played every game at least twice and I too forget somethings and how everything connects to each other). But I would say overall the positives of this series tends to outweigh the negatives, even if you have issues with the story Nomura still manages to keep the overarching plot interesting enough to make you want to know what happens next. Not to mention the multiple likable and relatable characters the series has, plus the generally good gameplay with high replay value the games tend to have, and the well-composed and memorable emotion-invoking musical scores composed by Shimomura that all the games have. I also enjoy the quality of the 3D animation for the characters and their character designs in general (I really like the way all the Xehanorts look).

But then I go on YouTube or some KH forum and I see a bunch of people blasting Nomura like he's the Antichrist. As if he is solely responsible for all of the negatives of the series, and none of its positives have anything to do with him at all. Like I know Nomura has issues when it comes to consistency with his writing but jeez, some people act like he hurt them on a personal level and destroyed their childhood entirely. It makes me wonder if I'm just delusional and I'm an outlier for not hating on Nomura sometimes lol. I know people will disagree, but that's fine, everyone has their own viewpoints on things I just don't think Nomura deserves the hate I see him getting a lot.

Anyway, as for the actual topic of the thread. I don't know how I feel about a Disney Plus KH series yet to be honest. This could be some random episodic series of just SDG running around from Disney world to Disney world not doing much that is entirely non-canon. In which case, I probably wouldn't be too interested in it. But this could also be another retelling that focuses more on the story and development of the characters like the manga does, basically a manga adaptation, in which that would be really cool and interesting. So honestly I don't know how I feel yet, all I know is I hope that whatever comes of this is something good in the end.

 

[SweetYetSalty]

the person who made up the seven wonders of Twilight Town is more reliable.

She has been right on some occasions about Marvel, DC, and Disney news. She has also been very wrong on occasions, so she isn't consistent. She does have a number of inside sources and she used to work for Marvel for a very brief period of time.

She isn't a source I would ever use just because I think she's an awful person and is hiding her true beliefs behind coded language and will flip-flop her personal beliefs to keep her audience appeased. I put her at the level of a pap. They get stuff right but they are slimy sleuths.

I see, so shouldn't take her words seriously. I wonder when/if this will get the official word. I'm anxious/nervous to learn if this is true or not. I won't be able to sleep at all tonight! This will be a true Night of Fate moment for me.

 

[Squood!]

Apparently, the guy who said that SE was tapped to work on it and make a pilot in UE4 said in the same tweet that the reason that SE's doing it is cuz Disney originally wanted to make the series, but it didn't work out.

Wonder why it didn't...if this whole thing turns out to be true.

 

[AR829038]

If this is true I wonder if they'll skip Deep Jungle or replace it with something. Though I'd hate for this to be another canon thing to the series for us to follow to get into KH4 and the next saga, lol.

Honestly, I'd rather follow a canon TV series for lore than another mobile game. At least TV shows have decent length episodes that come out on a defined and reasonable schedule.

 

[SuperNova]

I honestly don't know what to make of this if this is true. Disney handling anything to do with KH outside of merchandising without SE's involvement worries me. If these rumors are true I really hope the TV show follows at least the basic premise of the KH story line and doesn't turn out like another V-CAST fiasco.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Apparently, the guy who said that SE was tapped to work on it and make a pilot in UE4 said in the same tweet that the reason that SE's doing it is cuz Disney originally wanted to make the series, but it didn't work out.

Wonder why it didn't...if this whole thing turns out to be true.

I imagine the pool of easily-accessible creative showrunners and writers who know what KH is might be pretty low for one thing, especially ones that are talented enough to make it all work. It's probably even harder to get a creative team on board with the project since it requires extensive research and patience, and then hope that they like the concept enough to work on said project.

Without actually asking for open pitches or requesting pilots from a wider pool of talent, it's just going to keep running into a wall constantly. Disney doesn't take unsolicited pitches, either.

Not to mention Disney likely wanted to keep such a project under wraps (load of good that did if this rumor is true) and probably wanted to keep SE involved...It probably just became obvious that the only way to move forward with a project is to have SE do it themselves since it's their creation. They know the IP better than anybody, even Disney.

To me, that just tells me that there needs to be somebody hired at Disney who is an expert in KH from top to bottom and they exist to assist in stuff like this.

I honestly don't know what to make of this if this is true. Disney handling anything to do with KH outside of merchandising without SE's involvement worries me. If these rumors are true I really hope the TV show follows at least the basic premise of the KH story line and doesn't turn out like another V-CAST fiasco.

I mean, if you read the article/OP and the sources there, it shows that SE is apparently on this project themselves...

 

[2 quid is good]

Welp, one big fear. Can't wait for this to be a retelling of KH1 with all sorts of retroactive stuff added to it.

Or better yet, a completely new story that is now required for understanding the plot.

Also, I don't think I'll be a fan if they go for the KH3 style cgi. Make it 0.2 and I'm at least graphically sold

 

[DizneyXBirds95]

So Jim Cummings voices the most Disney characters in the entire series? Good for him

Don't Forget that Corey Burton also has voiced the MOST characters in the KH series, besides Jim. In fact Corey voiced so many different characters in the KH games such as Yen Sid, Dale, Sark, The MCP, Captain Hook, Frollo, Ansem the Wise (in Re: Chain of Memories then BBS onwards), among many others.

 

[disney233]

Don't Forget that Corey Burton also has voiced the MOST characters in the KH series, besides Jim. In fact Corey voiced so many different characters in the KH games such as Yen Sid, Dale, Sark, The MCP, Captain Hook, Frollo, Ansem the Wise (in Re: Chain of Memories then BBS onwards), among many others.

also this guy.

 

[GreyouTT]

Also, I don't think I'll be a fan if they go for the KH3 style cgi. Make it 0.2 and I'm at least graphically sold

Uh... 0.2 looked worse though. They were still in the midst of fine tuning everything. Just look at it.

Not even the same lighting they use in 3.

Heck I'll let the evolution of 0.2 Kairi speak for itself:

Spoiler Show

 

[SuperSaiyanSora]

Yeah I agree, I can perfectly understand people disliking some of the story decisions that Nomura makes and thinking the story is unnecessarily too complex (I mean I've been a fan for a while and have played every game at least twice and I too forget somethings and how everything connects to each other). But I would say overall the positives of this series tends to outweigh the negatives, even if you have issues with the story Nomura still manages to keep the overarching plot interesting enough to make you want to know what happens next. Not to mention the multiple likable and relatable characters the series has, plus the generally good gameplay with high replay value the games tend to have, and the well-composed and memorable emotion-invoking musical scores composed by Shimomura that all the games have. I also enjoy the quality of the 3D animation for the characters and their character designs in general (I really like the way all the Xehanorts look).

But then I go on YouTube or some KH forum and I see a bunch of people blasting Nomura like he's the Antichrist. As if he is solely responsible for all of the negatives of the series, and none of its positives have anything to do with him at all. Like I know Nomura has issues when it comes to consistency with his writing but jeez, some people act like he hurt them on a personal level and destroyed their childhood entirely. It makes me wonder if I'm just delusional and I'm an outlier for not hating on Nomura sometimes lol. I know people will disagree, but that's fine, everyone has their own viewpoints on things I just don't think Nomura deserves the hate I see him getting a lot.

Anyway, as for the actual topic of the thread. I don't know how I feel about a Disney Plus KH series yet to be honest. This could be some random episodic series of just SDG running around from Disney world to Disney world not doing much that is entirely non-canon. In which case, I probably wouldn't be too interested in it. But this could also be another retelling that focuses more on the story and development of the characters like the manga does, basically a manga adaptation, in which that would be really cool and interesting. So honestly I don't know how I feel yet, all I know is I hope that whatever comes of this is something good in the end.

Exactly. Am I saying to drink the Nomura Kool-Aid and accept everything he puts out, regardless of whether you personally like it or not? Of course not. The guy's wriing has flaws. But, you're absolutely right -- he's brought more good into the franchise than bad, and the only real offence you can argue that exists is DDD. (And even DDD is overly hated, it's nowhere near as bad as people make it out to be.)

It's clear that Nomura isn't on his Stephen King shit when he's writing; he's not a perfect writer. However, when he nails it (and he DOES nail it more often than he misses), it's one of the highlights of the series. He's the reason why every game is filled with mystery and why the lore is so fascinating. He's why the characters are filled with life. People think the guy is such a shit writer when KHUX has the best writing to date, and if this were to ever get a console release, it'd probably be one of the best games in the series if they made the battle system KH3-style (or similar).

But y'know, I've seen people bash him under the guise of "feedback", but I never bought it. I've seen people say "KH3 is trash and Nomura is done", but still want to hang around the fandom. I've seen big name youtubers shit on the franchise's writing like it's the worst thing in the world, but then refuse to walk away from it. Everyone thinks they can write a better KH story, and maybe some of them genuinely can, but it wouldn't be the Kingdom Hearts I fell in love with. That's why I said in a different post that I'd never tell a creative to "play it safe". I'm a fan of the stories HE wants to tell, and if I end up not being a fan of that particular story, that's on me.

I wouldn't want to play something he only made because other people would like it, and he himself didn't have his heart in it. Same goes for the other game directors who I appreciate. Even musicians, movie directors and other leaders in their art forms. I appreciate art that's true to their vision. It's better to stick to your guns and deliver what you believe in, over trying to please everyone and end up pleasing no one lol. But this goes beyond the scope of the thread.

She isn't a source I would ever use just because I think she's an awful person and is hiding her true beliefs behind coded language and will flip-flop her personal beliefs to keep her audience appeased. I put her at the level of a pap. They get stuff right but they are slimy sleuths.

Woah woah woah, what exactly are we talking about when you're mentioning "true beliefs"? I know you mentioned that she's racist and homophobic, but like... Alt-Right levels??

Either way, that's one source of info I won't be taking seriously. As a POC, I'm beyond tired. I'll just wait for Square Enix or Disney to actually confirm it themselves.

 

[Sign]

Uh... 0.2 looked worse though. They were still in the midst of fine tuning everything. Just look at it.

Not even the same lighting they use in 3.

Heck I'll let the evolution of 0.2 Kairi speak for itself:

Spoiler Show

yeesh i forgot how bad that model was at first

 

[Wallflower3582]

It probably just became obvious that the only way to move forward with a project is to have SE do it themselves since it's their creation. They know the IP better than anybody, even Disney.

To me, that just tells me that there needs to be somebody hired at Disney who is an expert in KH from top to bottom and they exist to assist in stuff like this.

Disney should hire you for this lol

 

[Soaked_Pancakes]

I'm cautiously excited.

I don't much see the point in a cg show with game graphics, show, especially if it's just a retelling/reboot of the series from the very beginning. Just go watch the cutscenes on Youtube, then...

I'd MUCH prefer a live-action series that could be taken more seriously and probably appeal to a much larger audience... Hire some highly skilled writers to yank out the many kinks in the series and try not to let the lore get so convoluted. Put in resources similar to The Mandalorian and some strong casting, and I think you could nail it. I've fantasized about this for too long.


The possibility of Square/Nomura being involved is very worrisome to me. He's just too self indulgent, and 'd imagine that he'd stifle the creativity of other involved producers, writers, and directors.

 

[SuperSaiyanSora]

I don't much see the point in a cg show with game graphics, show, especially if it's just a retelling/reboot of the series from the very beginning. Just go watch the cutscenes on Youtube, then...

Accessibility. Plus the cutscenes are disjointed because they're obviously segmented by gameplay. Everglow is an amazing example of what you can get if you were to streamline all of the events so far in the right order, but that's a huge undertaking and it's still not the easiest method of getting into the series.

Plus, there's a difference in what they can do as an actual TV series vs. only cutscenes. There's a lot of possibilities that could be done with this format. Idunno if you've seen this thread, but there was one a while ago where people wanted a TV series for Kingdom Hearts where it's essentially a slice-of-life anime. So stuff like Sora, Kairi and Riku chilling by the beach, RAX hanging out in Twilight Town with Hayner, Pence and Olette. TAV having random hijinks at the Land of Departure. With a series, you can get away with this. In a game, you can't, because pacing is a issue.

Imagine an episode where Roxas is having sleeping problems, so he goes to Ven because... y'know... and ridiculousness ensues. Or Axel having a crush on Aqua, but he doesn't know what to say to her, so he asks Kairi and Xion for advice (two who have absolutely zero experience in this). They're silly ideas, but that's honestly all it could be! Just little shorts, similar to RWBY Chibi.

 

[Soaked_Pancakes]

Accessibility. Plus the cutscenes are disjointed because they're obviously segmented by gameplay. Everglow is an amazing example of what you can get if you were to streamline all of the events so far in the right order, but that's a huge undertaking and it's still not the easiest method of getting into the series.

Plus, there's a difference in what they can do as an actual TV series vs. only cutscenes. There's a lot of possibilities that could be done with this format. Idunno if you've seen this thread, but there was one a while ago where people wanted a TV series for Kingdom Hearts where it's essentially a slice-of-life anime. So stuff like Sora, Kairi and Riku chilling by the beach, RAX hanging out in Twilight Town with Hayner, Pence and Olette. TAV having random hijinks at the Land of Departure. With a series, you can get away with this. In a game, you can't, because pacing is a issue.

Imagine an episode where Roxas is having sleeping problems, so he goes to Ven because... y'know... and ridiculousness ensues. Or Axel having a crush on Aqua, but he doesn't know what to say to her, so he asks Kairi and Xion for advice (two who have absolutely zero experience in this). They're silly ideas, but that's honestly all it could be! Just little shorts, similar to RWBY Chibi.

Well, you're not necessarily wrong lol...

I was kind of generalizing. I think it'd be too redundant to basically just redo the series from scratch with more modern graphics and then not really do anything differently. I think any hypothetical show needs to have itself in a position where it can take creative liberties to remix plot points, omit certain things, add in new details, and especially take the time to do the world building that the games simply do not have the time to do.

While I think an entire show devoted to slice-of-life anime shenanigans would be an insulting undermining of the potential of this vast and exciting universe, I would definitely love to partake in occasional episodes that allow themselves to explore that genre inbetween larger stories.

This is why despite the obvious difficulties in animating Mickey & co., I think live action would better lend itself to a KH show at this stage. Because we agree that a show that can all kinds of things that games can't, I assert that even if this were essentially just a copy & paste job of the existing story, scenes, and character arcs, live action portrayals of these scenes would permit an actor to explore range that animated graphics still struggle with (especially KH!). I also think that a lot of the series' fight scenes could be choreographed in a much more exciting manner in live action than in any type of animation, because you'd have to ground the action in a way that defies the modern floatiness of the games' present combat, and would also allow for more intimate interactions between the characters if they're responding to actors, rather than partially scripted programs limited by their animations and the players skillset. I find it very hard for action in animation to build actual tension. The hits are more real in live action, even in over-the-top action-adventure blockbusters.

Unless it's filling in gaps from the games' story, I just don't see the point in a CG animated series. While I wouldn't prefer it to live action, I can at least find appeal in a hand-drawn animation because, with talented enough artists, that can at least take visual liberties and more easily set a unique tone and aesthetic in each environment. Trying to do that in CG takes up too many resources with all of the necessary assets.

So, yeah, I'm not keen on a cg series. If that's what we're getting, then I hope it's more an anthology series, with each arc focusing on another under-developed b-plot from the games (ie: Ansem the Wise's time spent experimenting on the heart and the citizenry of Radiant Garden and the eventual overtaking by Terranort as one of his apprentices; the induction of Marluxia, Larxene, Demyx, and Luxord into Organization 13; etc.). Something like that would have narrative potential.

 

[Alpha Baymax]

I thought about that, but those three have been thrown into CoM and Re:coded so they are a part of Destiny Island’s history, so omitting them from a retelling would be odd (as opposed to not including FF characters in an upcoming story).

Square went to efforts to make worlds in KH3 be populated, so I hope that would be reflected in this show. But yeah, depends if Disney is like “but we don’t want Final Fantasy in our Disney show”

If this series is a retelling then they should create original characters new to the series to substitute the Final Fantasy characters.

It'd be a rights and merchandising nightmare to have Square Enix owned characters be integral to a Disney+ show. Disney as of late prefers to do as much of their creative content as in-house as possible, they only partner if it's just not possible to create something or to penetrate a market themselves. It's why they went back to licensing when games publishing failed them.

 

[Katsagu]

This can end up being good, but it will probably end up being unremarkable as hell, and I fear (since this is making directly by SE), that Nomura ends up making this a canon necessary addition to the series story like UX.

Don't have my hopes up for it, but let's see what comes out of this. Would preffer they focus their efforts on making the next games.