If you can’t get enough of spikey hair and swords twice as big as the person holding them, you’re in luck. Sony Pictures Television and Square Enix this week announced a partnership to create a live-action show based on the hit MMORPG, Final Fantasy XIV.
The press release was light on details, but that’s primarily because the ink is barely drying on this deal. The show is in the early stages of development, so there’s no word yet on things like casting, air date, platform, etc. In other words, don’t expect to see anything solid tied to the show anytime soon. And considering how these things typically go, there’s always a pretty good chance of the whole thing unraveling before it ever really starts to come together. Hopefully that won’t be the case here, I’m just saying don’t hold your breath until full production is actually up and running.
Square Enix picked a good team to work with, though, as SPT is behind both The Expanse and the upcoming Netflix series, The Witcher. That means they’re comfortable working in the realm of fantasy and handling large productions boasting big casts, which it sounds like the Final Fantasy series will feature.
All we really know at this point is that the series is set in the same world as the online game, Eorzea, and that it will tell an original story about an ongoing conflict that’s pitting magic against technology. Also, we can apparently expect plenty of Final Fantasy staples like Chocobos and even a character named Cid.
If they’re going to make a live-action Final Fantasy series, it was wise going with the MMO. There’s a big world of inspiration to draw from and, while there’s a narrative, it isn’t one fans have a die-hard attachment to. In other words, less chance you’re going to piss off the uber-fans.
Here’s hoping all of the pieces start to fall into place. Depending on how things turn out, it might be cool to visit the world of Final Fantasy in an episodic series.