Why a New Final Fantasy 7 Movie Could Be a Risk Worth Taking

Recent years have been treating Final Fantasy fans fairly well, and Final Fantasy 7 lovers have had the most to gain. The Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy is two entries in now, with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth being the last released, and it's just the centerpiece of a wider FF7 revival. Mobile spin-offs like The First Soldier and Ever Crisis have fleshed out FF7's lore while giving players new experiences in its old setting, and there's no telling what else the next few years leading up to the third Remake entry will bring.

After the release of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 – Reunion, some fans are wondering if a Dirge of Cerberus remake is next on the slate, while others are keeping track of the significant backstory expansions that Ever Crisis’ updates have been unearthing. Wherever their interests lie, everyone can agree that this is probably the next highest period of Final Fantasy 7 hype after the original game's own launch. Even with the initial PS5 release of FF7 Rebirth underperforming, anything feels possible right now, and one of the big names behind FF7 just suggested that another movie would fit the festivities quite well.

Final Fantasy Advent Children Throws a Monkey Wrench Into FF7 Remake Trilogy's Plans

The Final Fantasy 7 Remake project is meant to connect with the movie Advent Children when everything finishes, but that almost ruins any surprises.

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By Zackari Greif

Where The Idea For A New Final Fantasy 7 Film Came From

On January 7, 2025, an interview was posted on Danny Peña’s YouTube channel with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’s director, Naoki Hamaguchi, and producer, Yoshinori Kitase. It was primarily about the game’s PC port, but Yoshinori Kitase offered a little more. He was the original director of the PS1 Final Fantasy 7, so stating that he would love a movie adaptation of it carries a lot of weight. Kitase quickly clarified that there were no plans for one, but he knows that plenty of Hollywood directors and actors are FF7 fans who would jump at the chance to make such a film.

Unfortunately, that's the extent of any current news about another Final Fantasy 7 film, but at least Kitase stressed that there are many creators out there who are interested in working with the Final Fantasy 7 property. The first feature-length Final Fantasy 7 film was 2005’s Advent Children, a CGI film that was criticized for its writing and pacing, but it was nonetheless enshrined in the aughts' anime canon as the coolest 3D-animated spectacle around. Time has treated Advent Children kinder than the other two Final Fantasy films, The Spirits Within and Kingsglaive, so a follow-up wouldn’t be instantly dismissed.

Now Is The Right Time For Another FF7 Movie

It bears restating that Final Fantasy’s track record with theatrical films is not good, but the current hype surrounding Final Fantasy 7 could give another film in its universe the best chance at succeeding. If a Dirge of Cerberus re-release comes around, the game front of the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7 will have been serviced thoroughly, and the FF franchise as a whole is due for a film in the 2020’s. Making one would be risky, but the FF7 name kept one movie afloat, and it could very well do it again as the Remake project ends.

What Form A Modern Final Fantasy 7 Film Could Take

Square Enix and any potential partners also have the benefit of many potential approaches a new FF7 film could take. Advent Children was noteworthy for being a direct sequel to FF7, something which FF7 Remake has alluded to, but that doesn't need to be the approach a new movie takes when it already exists. Instead, this could be a more faithful adaptation of Final Fantasy 7 on the silver screen, or a “visual piece,” as Kitase suggests, that is set elsewhere in its universe. Final Fantasy 7 has the potential to take the cinemas by storm, just as long as it takes advantage of its current momentum.

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OpenCritic Reviews: Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 97%

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Released: February 29, 2024
ESRB: T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
Developer(s): Square Enix
Publisher(s): Square Enix