Could Sora being stuck in Quadratum imply that perhaps this game will have 2 playable characters? Perhaps Sora could be the playable character through Quadratum and live-action-inspired worlds and the other character (Kairi?) could be the one that is with Donald and Goofy in Disney and Pixar worlds.
Anyhow, the footage (though clearly early stuff) looks great and I can only imagine how it will look in Unreal 5. I'm not sure how I feel about Sora looking so...different. But I get that's maybe the style they're going for. It's just going to take some getting used to.
Also, not at all surprised that there won't be anything for the game at E3. Perhaps we might get some more at one of the D23s? If so, D23 Japan is the most likely option. Remember, this game has likely only been in development over the last couple of years. It is going to take time. Hopefully not as much time as KH3, but still. Time.
I'll say that comparing this footage to the first footage of KH3, KH4 seems to be further along in production as of the first trailer. There's already voice acting and a little bit of gameplay footage. Perhaps 2024-2025 is a viable release window?
Early predictions;
Much of the tone of the game seems to be centered around death and the afterlife, so that will probably be the focus of a number of the game's elements, story, and level design.
For worlds, it's a little too early to speculate. However, it would probably not be wrong to assume that at least a handful will be live-action based given the tone of the trailer, particularly if Sora stays separated for a while in the game. I guess that the game will have 10 Disney Worlds in total. One more than the last game, but keeping with the mainline number count. I'll give a list of ones I think are possible. These are not the worlds that will be, only ones that may be only (to paraphrase Charles Dickens).
Disney Animation and Pixar Worlds:
-New Worlds:
-The Land of the Dead- Coco. This one feels like a given. With Pixar now available for Kingdom Hearts and the game's focus is in part on the afterlife, I'd say this is the most likely new world we will see. It just fits.
-The Underworld? Honestly, I can't see Olympus coming back this time around. The stuff with Hades will probably be not much more beyond a cutscene or two. Could be wrong though. It doesn't count if it's just a few cutscenes.
-Motunui- Moana. Another fairly obvious candidate given that it is widely loved and still does incredibly well on Disney+. Perhaps they could be looking for magical objects like Maui's fishhook or the heart of Te Fiti?
-Zootopia- Another obvious candidate. The film did quite well and would provide an interesting setting given that cities seem to be a big part of KH4.
-Encanto- I know this is a newer film, but with how popular it has become it would seem strange for it not to appear in some form. It could be about reconnecting with loved ones as part of the journey? The family doors alone would make for interesting level possibilities.
-One More New Pixar World. As for which one, I'm not sure. Your guess is as good as mine. The most likely options include Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, A Bug's Life, Brave, Inside Out, Wall-E, etc. There's no way that there will be only 1 new Pixar world, is all I'm saying.
-Returning. I only expect maybe 1 or two returning worlds.
-Toy Story- The biggest Pixar property by far and the one most suited for returns. There are more characters to showcase, like Jessie, Bullseye, Slinky, etc. Also, perhaps visiting this world could provide more insight into Yozora and Verum Rex.
-Frozen 2- Yeah, I know. The complaints about Arendelle are clear. But this time they'll have more resources and time to flesh out a better level. Ahtohallan could provide for many interesting design possibilities and will be less frustrating given that it's mostly forest and not a mountain.
-Live-Action Disney properties. That is both a broad and loaded assumption, but it seems likely given what we are seeing. Which worlds specifically? IDK. But I can speculate; Marvel and Star Wars are possibilities. I know that is controversial for some fans, but the fact of the matter is that both franchises are among the most beloved and popular series in the world. Disney and Square Enix can't just ignore that fact. But they're not the only live-action properties Disney could bring in.
- Star Wars. For me, the question is not whether to bring Star Wars into Kingdom Hearts. It's when to bring in Star Wars. I believe that the best place for Sora to venture into a galaxy far, far away is the Original Trilogy. It's the most known, the most beloved, and the least controversial between the prequels and the sequels. Nomura has stated that he's a fan, so with EA's exclusivity contract over, this seems like a definite possibility.
-Marvel. The biggest problem with Marvel is what characters do you focus on? There are scores of characters. My solution would be one of two options;
1. have it be like Hundred Acre Woods where you find comic books based on the characters instead of torn pages. My guess for characters would be Spider-Man, Doctor Strange (he's not an Avenger, keep in mind), The Avengers, and the Guardians of the Galaxy.
2.) Have the characters in Quadratum. Perhaps something Doctor Strange did cause them to appear in Quadratum and Sora needs to help them return home. Kind of like the Final Fantasy characters in KH1 and KH2.
-Pandora- Avatar. I know the complaints this will inevitably get. But the fact of the matter is; Avatar is one of the two highest-grossing films of all time. It has a dedicated land built in Disney's Animal Kingdom. And the sequels are fast coming. If you think that Disney isn't going to want to market those films to the heavens, you're kidding yourself. Avatar was also popular in Japan and around the world too, so there's that.
Plus, I've heard Matt Belloni (a noted Hollywood insider) say on a podcast that all of the studios expect Best Picture next year at the Oscars to come down to either Spielberg, Scorcese, or James Cameron's Avatar 2. The early footage is rumored to be that good. And again. Matt Belloni is not just some blogger with semi-reliable info. He used to be a writer for The Hollywood Reporter and is often at big events like the Oscars. This guy is a reliable source. If he says that Avatar 2 is going to be a contender, I believe him.
Now, it might not be. Avatar 2 could underperform, to be sure. But if there's one thing that people should learn by now, it's never to underestimate James Cameron.
That's all I have for now, but we'll have to wait and see what's coming soon.