Today, Sony Pictures Television and production company Hivemind Entertainment (the company behind Netflix’s forthcoming adaptation of The Witcher and Amazon’s The Expanse) announced a partnership with Square Enix to develop a live-action Final Fantasy TV series based on the online role-playing game Final Fantasy XIV.
The live-action television series will tell an original story set in Eorzea, the world where Final Fantasy XIV is set. What the series will focus on is still under wraps, but per a press release it will explore “the struggle between magic and technology in a quest to bring peace to a land in conflict.”
It’s still in the development stage—which in Hollywood means “writing, but with more meetings” – so there’s no word on who will be cast, nor is there any footage to speak of, and there won’t be for some time. Same goes for what network or streaming service you’ll find the show on, or a premiere date.
Given Hollywood’s long history of optioning and announcing video game adaptations that never actually come to fruition, there’s no guarantee that this ever actually happens, but Netflix did distribute Final Fantasy XIV: Dad of Light, a live-action show about a father and son bonding over the game, in 2017.
Also promised are all the series longtime calling cards: “magitek and beastmen, airships and chocobos” as well as “the live-action debut of Cid.” (Presumably they mean Cid Garlond from the game, although it could very well be just another Cid entirely. Final Fantasy has never been shy about introducing new Cids.)
Early as it may be, a Final Fantasy XIV TV show is a pretty cool idea—Eorzea is a great big world full of classic Final Fantasy trappings and nods to previous games in the series. It could be great! It could also be a disaster.
Final Fantasy projects have a habit of being dramatic productions right up until the very end.
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