Producers of Netflix’s The Witcher are now working on a live-action television adaptation of Final Fantasy XIV. Sony Pictures Television announced a partnership with Square Enix and production company Hivemind for a series based off the multiplayer online RPG, telling “an original story” set in Eorzea, as reported by Inverse.
Director nor actors have been confirmed, nor do we know where it will be shown. Channels or streaming services like Netflix, Amazon and such have not been named to air the in-development series. Screenwriters Ben Lustig and Jame Thornton have both been confirmed as writers and executive producers on Hivemind’s behalf, which has not just The Witcher under their belt, but also Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
Cid has been confirmed to appear in the series, as a character in the Final Fantasy franchise who has appeared in nearly every game. There will be chocobos as well, confirmed by Sony Pictures Television Co-President Chris Parnell. He talks about how the show is about “embracing and embodying” the elements that made the mythos a captivating phenomenon, calling it an immense honor to bring Eorzea’s iconic characters, settings and concepts to life for a television audience.
“Television is the ideal medium to capture the extraordinary depth, sophisticated themes, and unparalleled imagination of Final Fantasy and its multitude of unique and fully realized characters.”
“We are working tirelessly to bring together artists from around the world who are united in honoring the extraordinary legacy of this franchise and its millions of fans around the world.”
Jason Brown, Hivemind Co-Founder and Co-President
Hivemind as a studio started in 2018, formed by Jason F. Brown, Sean Daniel, Kathy Lingg (producer of Westworld and Fringe) and Dinesh Shamdasani. The studio is currently producing The Expanse (on Amazon), Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, a horror film for CBS Films, and of course, Netflix’s The Witcher. Hivemind and Amazon have a first-look deal, but it’s unknown if Final Fantasy will be on the service.
This isn’t the first Final Fantasy TV show. 2017 had the Netflix Final Fantasy XIV: Dad of Light, which was a live-action soap opera featuring a young man and his estranged father reconnecting by playing the game together. No premiere date is known for Final Fantasy XIV. The TV series adaptation was first mentioned last year, with scant details.