• Hello everybody! We have tons of new awards for the new year that can be requested through our Awards System thanks to Antifa Lockhart! Some are limited-time awards so go claim them before they are gone forever...

    CLICK HERE FOR AWARDS

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



REGISTER TO REMOVE ADS

KudoTsurugi

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 14, 2017
Messages
725
Awards
12
You mean the same brand that had the gall to not bother giving Xaldin his own page and described him like he's Luxord. Misspelling things like "Royal" and "Keyblade" and ignoring Xigbar entirely?

Yeah, I'm curious too.
Guide books that were done haphazardly and a potential story series set in the future of the series(canon or not) are two different things.
 
Last edited:

Oracle Spockanort

written in the stars
Staff member
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
Messages
35,552
Awards
96
Age
32
Location
California
Website
twitter.com
Anyone still think this exists?
I mean, shows take a long time to be made. I don’t doubt the veracity of the rumor that Disney asked SE to make a pilot.

I think what would be in question is if Disney picked it up or not. If they did, I would absolutely say our best bet at hearing anything about it would be D23 Expo next month. After that, nah. It’s probably dead.

If they didn’t pick it up, we would never know unless Nomura is able and willing to speak about it.

Personally, I am hopeful but not expectant. Disney+ needs to buff up its content, especially child/young teen-targeted media. Bluey can’t save D+ alone!

It would be beneficial for SE and Disney to figure out a way to have expanded media for KH if they intend for the series to grow and thrive into the next decade.

If it didn’t get picked up, I worry that SE nor Disney know how to approach a series which is stupid because they can do it if they are willing to start fresh. Do a clean remake/retelling of the games with a good show runner, or start fresh with a new cast based in the existing storyline.

The third option is honing in on the most popular batch: Roxas, Xion, and Lea. Build a show about them. Keep them detached from the main storyline, keep their core personalities and backgrounds in tact but integrate that into the story so a new audience can learn about them and their past as if it is a new mystery. It can work but it requires a talented team with good writing.

Nomura should not be in charge of the writing. Exec producer with the ability to give his blessings and provide story outlines and stuff but beyond that he shouldn’t be heavily involved.
 
Last edited:

Zackarix

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 12, 2021
Messages
407
Awards
3
As much as KH may be Nomura's baby I think he's also holding it back from expanding as a franchise.

Take this TV show situation for example. I'm pretty sure that it started when Seth Kearsley posted his old storyboards from his rejected attempt at adapting KH into an animated series back in the day. People encouraged him to try again and apparently he did and the executives were initially receptive but then lost interest - probably when Nomura found out and demanded control. And now there's radio silence on how well this SE-created series is doing. I'm not familiar with with Seth Kearsley's work so I don't know if he's the right person to be a showrunner for a KH series, but he's been working in American cartoons since the 90's and is probably a lot more knowledgeable about what makes them work and how to get them greenlit than Nomura is.

There was also that leaked middle grade book series that was eventually cancelled for mysterious reasons. Hmm, I wonder why?

This is actually a double-edged sword because while it prevents spin-off that don't involve Nomura, it also keeps the franchise out of the hands of people who don't understand it at all and just want a quick cash-in. I just think that KH has the right ingredients to be bigger than it currently is, but Nomura won't let it be pushed in that direction because that would mean losing control.
 

Oracle Spockanort

written in the stars
Staff member
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
Messages
35,552
Awards
96
Age
32
Location
California
Website
twitter.com
As much as KH may be Nomura's baby I think he's also holding it back from expanding as a franchise.

Take this TV show situation for example. I'm pretty sure that it started when Seth Kearsley posted his old storyboards from his rejected attempt at adapting KH into an animated series back in the day. People encouraged him to try again and apparently he did and the executives were initially receptive but then lost interest - probably when Nomura found out and demanded control. And now there's radio silence on how well this SE-created series is doing. I'm not familiar with with Seth Kearsley's work so I don't know if he's the right person to be a showrunner for a KH series, but he's been working in American cartoons since the 90's and is probably a lot more knowledgeable about what makes them work and how to get them greenlit than Nomura is.

There was also that leaked middle grade book series that was eventually cancelled for mysterious reasons. Hmm, I wonder why?

This is actually a double-edged sword because while it prevents spin-off that don't involve Nomura, it also keeps the franchise out of the hands of people who don't understand it at all and just want a quick cash-in. I just think that KH has the right ingredients to be bigger than it currently is, but Nomura won't let it be pushed in that direction because that would mean losing control.
Seth was never the best choice for a show, but I appreciate his efforts and passion for trying to make it happen. There were multiple pilots attempted by different writers/show runners back then, too. And Nomura caused them all to be halted once he found out what Disney was doing.

And I get it. When a creator has so much control over the creation of a product like KH, it’s hard to loosen the reins or to feel comfortable trusting others with said product. I feel like he’s been willing with Kanemaki and Amano because Kanemaki is his friend and Amano’s take isn’t an attempt to outdo the games or overtake his own canon story.

With an actual show, he would lose nearly all control like you said. It wouldn’t be his anymore, and also Disney could also do whatever they want with it without his input. And if they do that with the show, then the concern would be that they’d also do whatever they want with the games down the line.

So yeah it’s a double-edged sword.

Nomura cannot and should not be the one to make a show. This series deserves something new and fresh to draw in new audiences, and I don’t think Nomura has the ability to divorce himself from the story he has already made/plans to make do make that happen. I also think we deserve to see what KH would be like in somebody else’s hands. But that person would also need to truly understand the series and idk if there is anybody working in the industry that can do that atm. I’m sure there is, but they probably aren’t in the position to do that job…not to mention Disney would have their guidelines that would also affect the show.

And the other side is that Nomura should not lose control of this series either xD I fear what Disney would do if they had absolute control and stopped respecting Nomura’s autonomy.

(Also I’ll forever be salty about the novel series. I think the problem was that it touted itself as canon. I think had they not done that, it would have probably stayed off of Nomura’s radar at least until it released the first book. I’ll always mourn what could have been…)
 

SweetYetSalty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 20, 2018
Messages
2,166
Awards
12
Age
34
(Also I’ll forever be salty about the novel series. I think the problem was that it touted itself as canon. I think had they not done that, it would have probably stayed off of Nomura’s radar at least until it released the first book. I’ll always mourn what could have been…)
Why are you salty about the novel series though? It's still around and even reached KH3 ReMind content too.
 

Oracle Spockanort

written in the stars
Staff member
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
Messages
35,552
Awards
96
Age
32
Location
California
Website
twitter.com
Why are you salty about the novel series though? It's still around and even reached KH3 ReMind content too.
? This is about Brooke Vitale’s middle grade novel series. She was going to be writing a series of books that took place in KH canon for Disney and published by Scholastic.
 

SweetYetSalty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 20, 2018
Messages
2,166
Awards
12
Age
34
? This is about Brooke Vitale’s middle grade novel series. She was going to be writing a series of books that took place in KH canon for Disney and published by Scholastic.
Oh, you were talking about the Scholastic books. Yes that is quite unfortunate. More media for KH means more exposure for the brand. I still wonder is this CGI show was really going to happen? I would have thought they'd announce it at the anniversary, wouldn't they?
 

Oracle Spockanort

written in the stars
Staff member
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
Messages
35,552
Awards
96
Age
32
Location
California
Website
twitter.com
Oh, you were talking about the Scholastic books. Yes that is quite unfortunate. More media for KH means more exposure for the brand. I still wonder is this CGI show was really going to happen? I would have thought they'd announce it at the anniversary, wouldn't they?
Disney would handle any announcements of a show for their service. D23 Expo is next month so that would be the most likely place for it to show up. It would be KH’s NA anniversary month as well, so if it doesn’t happen then, it probably isn’t happening.
 

Zackarix

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 12, 2021
Messages
407
Awards
3
I mourn the missed opportunity of having a Kingdom Hearts: The Animated Series in the mid-2000's. 65 episodes adapting the original trilogy of games. Something started before KH began struggling with the weight of its own lore. In the right hands it could have been a masterpiece. And it could have come out during my prime cartoon watching years! But alas it was not meant to be.
 

palizinhas

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 5, 2016
Messages
462
Awards
36
My main reason to think it isn't happening is because franchise entries (be whatever franchise) usually get announced WAY in advance - Percy Jackson was even before it was greenlit.

The only reason to only announce it now when it's been rumored for ages is if they struggled a lot behind the scenes with who would do what. Which IS possible, KH is always a bit messy in that sense, and this is a series that would go beyond the video game public KH has.
 

Soldier

Well-known member
Joined
May 14, 2017
Messages
1,718
Awards
10
Location
East Coast, USA
It's sad really, we live in a world where Sora joining in on one of the most beloved fighting games of all time actually happened but don't live in a world where the forces that be can't just.. agree to make a cartoon series that would put more money in their pockets. It's not like Kingdom Hearts is obscure gaming knowledge now, it's proven that it's a mainstay in the collective unconscious and can be even bigger than it is now.
 

Zettaflare

Shibuya
Joined
Jan 2, 2013
Messages
11,819
Awards
5
Location
California
A hint at what? There's no way he's involved in the new KH series, if such a thing existed. He's just itching to post about the series and wants to upload it and if there were any chance of him working on such a thing with Disney any more he wouldn't be working with his lawyer to break his NDA.
Ok then. False alarm. I'll just go ahead and delete tweet
 

KudoTsurugi

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 14, 2017
Messages
725
Awards
12
A hint at what? There's no way he's involved in the new KH series, if such a thing existed. He's just itching to post about the series and wants to upload it and if there were any chance of him working on such a thing with Disney any more he wouldn't be working with his lawyer to break his NDA.
Context? I feel like I’m missing something since the original message is gone. Are we talking about Seth Kearsley?

EDIT: Never mind, looked it up. If he gets the chance to share it, great 👍 If not, oh well.
 
Last edited:

Face My Fears

She's not an "it"!
Joined
Apr 9, 2007
Messages
5,386
Awards
19
A hint at what? There's no way he's involved in the new KH series, if such a thing existed. He's just itching to post about the series and wants to upload it and if there were any chance of him working on such a thing with Disney any more he wouldn't be working with his lawyer to break his NDA.
What's the hint? I don't see the hint in the thread.
 

Chaser

Not KHI Site Staff
Staff member
Joined
Feb 19, 2008
Messages
23,228
Awards
70
Location
Australia
Seth posted a picture of a VHS of the original pilot. Swoosh mistook it as a hint at the Disney+ series. A simple mistake, that's all.
 
Back
Top