Sony Pictures Television and Hivemind, which is responsible for such shows as Netflix's upcoming adaptation of The Witcher series, will partner with Square Enix on the first live-action adaptation of the popular Final Fantasy franchise.
According to the press release, the television series will take place in Final Fantasy XIV's Eorzea and tell an original story exploring "the struggle between magic and technology in a quest to bring peace to a land in conflict." Although plot details were not revealed beyond that, the release did tease the inclusion of iconic characters and elements of the game series, including "magitek and beastmen, airships and chocobos." The show will also feature Cid, who has appeared in various iterations in every one of the franchise's installments.
“Final Fantasy XIV and Eorzea are the perfect gateway into Final Fantasy for longtime fans and newcomers alike,” Sony Pictures Television Co-President Chris Parnell said. “This show is about embracing and embodying all of the elements that have made the mythos such an endlessly captivating phenomenon, and it’s an immense honor to be bringing all of Eorzea’s iconic characters, settings, and concepts – including fan-favorites like Cid and, of course, the chocobos – to life for a television audience."
On the whole, the Final Fantasy series is one of the best-selling ever, having moved more than 144 million games since the original released in 1987 on the NES. There are currently fifteen iterations in the main series, none of which require one to have played the other games in the franchise. Many installments have sequels or related side stories, and several have been remade for newer console generations. There are also related series such as Final Fantasy Tactics and Dissidia Final Fantasy.
Final Fantasy XIV is the second massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) based on the series. Originally releasing in 2010, the game was poorly received, eventually leading to a relaunch in 2013 as Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. That game received better reception and has since received several expansion packs.
The release date and cast of the series was not revealed. A platform/network for the show was not revealed, but Hivemind has a first look deal with Amazon Studios, so it may appear on there. Ben Lustig and Jake Thornton (Winter's Knight, The Wells Initiative)will write and serve as executive producers alongside Jason F. Brown (The Expanse), Sean Daniel (The Mummy) and Dinesh Shamdasani (Bloodshot).