A new CG animated television series based on Square Enix's beloved Kingdom Hearts series is reportedly in development. According to entertainment industry journalists, a television adaptation is in production and casting is currently underway.
The Cinema Spot writer Emre Kaya shared some details on Twitter, explaining that Disney originally wanted to make the show, but that didn't pan out. They instead asked Square Enix to create a pilot episode using Unreal Engine, development software used to create video games.
After Kaya broke the news on Twitter, other industry writers came forward with what they do. MSUCosmic founder Jeremy Conrad seemingly confirmed the news, adding "it's true." The DisInsider editor-in-chief Skyler Shuler actually elaborated, claiming that "disney VO actors are expected to repirse their roles (Jim Cummings, Bill Farmer Tony Anselmo).
Jim Cummings provides the voices of Pete, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger in the game. Bill Farmer and Tony Anselmo voice Goofy and Donald Duck, respectively.
For those unfamiliar, Kingdom Hearts is an epic saga with an incredibly complex plot. The main character, Sora, travels to various Disney worlds alongside his pals, Donald and Goofy, to battle the Darkness and stop Xehanort. The core of the series is known as the Dark Seeker Saga and spans nine games. While the Xehanort storyline recently came to a conclusion with the release of Kingdom Hearts 3, the series is expected to continue with additional stories.
A Kingdom Hearts animated series was originally planned after the release of hte original game in 2002, but it was ultimately cancelled due to being a "vastly different interpretation" of the game's story. It's unclear if this Disney+ series will expand upon the existing game franchise and tie into the existing story, or if it will be its own thing that simply exists in the Kingdom Hearts universe.