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Alright. It's happened. YOU have been given the green light. It is time to make a new and unforgettable Final Fantasy movie. The studio and Square have both agreed to pump money in order to save face after the disaster that was FF:Spirits Within.

How do you do it? What's the story and premise?


I for one call again on the uber amount of computer tech they used for the first one. However, this time around, there is live action actors and sets mixed in.

Story wise however, it most definitely follows the fantasy part of it's name. Chocobos, Sid, and magic mages are a must.

First of all. Even though the Final Fantasies have different settings (except X-2) they still share certain things. I'd try to single out as many of these FF specific hallmarks and make a list of them. Chocobos, Moogles, Cactaurs and such. They should probably not have a leading role, but they should be there.

Secondly it has to have a decent story that actually could be used in an FF game. The postapocalyptic setting of Spirits Within wasn't very Final Fantasy-ish. I'd probably ask for a more modern-fantasy like setting like most of the games use. Chocobos will be in the movie, but everyone shoud acts as if they're just normal.

It'll need a set of characters that wouldn't feel out of place in an FF game. And Cid would be a pilot/inventor type character. Also there's really no need for hyperrealistic models like the ones used in Spirits Within. Stylize them a bit so they resemble the games.

Also... The recent FF games have really had a lot of fancy special effects. I'd like to keep that. If Summons like Bahamut are in, and they really should be, then they need to have a really impressive entrance. And they need to do their signature attacks like Mega Flare.

Short version:
1. Make an FF style story and setting.
2. Create FF style characters.
3. Refine technology so it can tell the story, not the other way around.

But... I think the coming Advent Children might be a good way to make an FF movie, too. Both FF8 and FF9 (even FF6) could easily have a cinematic sequal.

McNum wrote:Secondly it has to have a decent story that actually could be used in an FF game. The postapocalyptic setting of Spirits Within wasn't very Final Fantasy-ish.

FF6 and FFX both had post-apocalyptic elements.

The Wookiee wrote:

McNum wrote:Secondly it has to have a decent story that actually could be used in an FF game. The postapocalyptic setting of Spirits Within wasn't very Final Fantasy-ish.

FF6 and FFX both had post-apocalyptic elements.

Yeah, but those still maintained a fantasy feel to them. They weren't post-apocalyptic in a science fiction sense the way the movie was.

I'm kind of torn. On one hand my first exposure to the series was with the post-modern ones like VII and VIII; I was subsequently hooked and played the rest of the series. Although I really do like the high-tech sci-fi elements of VI, VII, VIII and the X series I kind of prefer the worlds set in a more Western Middle Ages to Renaissance setting. Partly for this reason, and partly to distance myself from the travesty that was Final Science Fiction, I would make it very similar to say... IX.

Not that I'd go for numerous nonhuman races or super deformed characters, I'd definately keep the former photorealism, but I tend to find the worlds more believable when people fit into a class, and not just anyone can do anything through "cheating" methods like materia, Guardian Forces or magicite.

Its when the characters are heavily defined not just through personality, but through fighting style and tactical role that I think they really shine. I'm also quite fond of some of the traditional gear we've come to associate with their respective classes. The summoners should wear horns, the black mages should wear steepled long hats and the dark knights should wear kickass armor. As mentioned above, I would try to incorporate as many of the common themes as I could; especially creatures like chocobos and moogles, and monsters (both summoned and hostile).

I would incorporate high-tech weaponry and robots and stuff, because that's cool; but the only high-tech things in common use by mainstream civilization would be airships; everything else would be stalking around underground ruins from the classic super-advanced lost civilization.

The only "tradition" I would break would be the role of the main protagonist; it would either be female, old or NOT STUPID. Preferably belonging to a stealth or magic based profession instead of being a generic sword-swinging fighter. I'm so sick of that. Why do the main characters have to be cocky and/or angsty teenage fighters. Why not a wacky old witch? Meh.

Wouldn't "Spirit's within" been so much better if she had summoned Beomet Zero.....

The Yosemite Bear wrote:Wouldn't "Spirit's within" been so much better if she had summoned Beomet Zero.....

Summoning magic especially, but any magic at all would have been awesome with that kind of technology. Aside from the stunning realism, the coolest things in the movie were the phantoms and the soldiers' armor. Even the weaponry was disappointing.

The Yosemite Bear wrote:Wouldn't "Spirit's within" been so much better if she had summoned Beomet Zero.....

Bahamut!!!! [/raving fanwhore]

Proper Final Fantasy can't be done in one film. It would have to be a duology or trilogy if I was working on it. MAking the first one properly enough to stand on its own and in case it bombs we dont do two more, but we PLAN on doing the ither ones still so as not to associate ourselves with hollywoods sequel fetish.

First film:

Two kingdoms with powerful magics are at the peak of war, as a result magic users have been largely wiped out in the battles, with any and all users forcibly conscripted into the feuding armies.

Then from a far off continent, without warning, comes a military force of highly advanced technological soldiers, who attack in force. However they are repelled as an old hermit known to both sides calls forth the Holy Judgement. The attack is repelled and the advanced technological army is crushed for the time being, but this is only and expeditionary force, on top of that Alexander is Mortally wounded.

Peace is forged between the two kingdoms and it is decided that the only way to prevent the Kingdoms from being wiped out should the enemy return is to send the most talented mages from each kingdom to learn the secrets of summoning magic. A Black Mage from one Kingdom, a White Mage from the other. For protection a Knight is sent along with them.

As they journey to wherever it is they need to go they encounter a Theif, who gets the drop on them but is nearly killed by the Knight, White Mage heals him and he pledges his service to the party. Eventually the party will make their way through a mountain path and , with assistance from a moogle named Mog, will reach where they need to go and the Black Mage and White Mage begin the incantations needed to obtain the summoned magics. But the party is attacked by a Behemoth, but is saved when the Black Mage and White Mage manage to Summon Shiva and Ifrit. They begin their Journey home and are attacked by a tehcnological army which has element-negating powers somehow.

The most bad ass scene in this film will be when the MAges call forth Bahamut and he absolutely goes nuts.

Meanwhile in the heart of the Evil mechanical kingdom, The leader of that force is displeased at the reports of summoned magic used against him. Signs will indicated he is a magic user as well but one with incredibly dark intentions.

Second Movie: Party returns only to find that their Kingdoms are on the brink of war after assassins have killed the monarchy of one of the kingdoms. Many are beginning to think the machines will never return. They do, a couple of new summons are used and there is a great battle scene between the magic forces and techno forces, but the techno forces win using powerful weaponry. The group is forced to escape on an airship and Bahamut is nearly destroyed allowing them to escape.

New party members and such perhaps

Third movie: Into the heart of evil so to speak, fight with evil evil evil guys, lots of explosions. Party members die.



rough? youbetcha.

I can see you doing FF8 in one film. And I'd pay to watch it too.