Kingdom Hearts anime TV series announced (Image: Disney)
Disney is bringing Kingdom Hearts to television. The beloved video game franchise, known for blending Disney’s animated characters with Square Enix’s Final Fantasy universe, is officially getting an anime series at Disney+ and Disney Channel.
The news broke during the Disney Entertainment Showcase panel at D23, Disney’s biannual fan event, where actor Benjamin Bratt revealed the series to the crowd. It marks Kingdom Hearts‘ first-ever original television series, expanding a franchise that has largely lived in the world of video games since its debut in 2002.
The series is being developed in close partnership with Tetsuya Nomura, the creative force behind the Kingdom Hearts games, alongside the creative team at Square Enix. That collaboration signals Disney’s intent to keep the show closely tied to the tone and mythology longtime fans expect, rather than handing the property off without creative continuity from its original architects.
Rather than retelling the games’ plot scene for scene, the anime will tell an original story set within the Kingdom Hearts universe. The approach is designed to expand the franchise’s world while still bringing back the characters that have made the series a cult favorite among gamers and Disney fans alike for more than two decades.
Disney has not announced key production details, including the animation studio attached to the project, showrunners or creative leadership, voice cast, or a release date. The project is currently referred to only by its working title, “Kingdom Hearts,” suggesting it’s still in early development.
Kingdom Hearts has one of the most passionate fanbases in gaming, built on its unlikely mashup of Disney nostalgia and Square Enix’s RPG storytelling. A television adaptation gives Disney a way to bring that crossover appeal to a broader streaming audience beyond game players, while giving Disney+ another high-profile anime title as the platform continues to invest in the genre. Fans will now be watching closely for casting news, a first look at the animation style, and any hints about where the original story will pick up within the sprawling Kingdom Hearts timeline.
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