Highlights
- Kingdom Hearts 4 should exercise restraint in breaching into Marvel’s world to avoid overshadowing Disney’s classic charm.
- While Marvel offers rich fantasy elements, the MCU’s oversaturation and tonal clash may present an identity crisis for Kingdom Hearts 4.
- Securing soundalikes for MCU actors or creating an exclusive continuity may be the best approach for Kingdom Hearts 4.
Kingdom Hearts 4 will undoubtedly travel even further across Disney’s ocean of IPs, just as previous games in the series have. Should the game breach into the uncharted waters of Marvel and its many characters, however, Kingdom Hearts 4 may want to exercise some restraint.
Despite focusing on Disney’s animated canon, Kingdom Hearts has already broken those bounds before for IPs that meet its established tone. This has included not only other animated worlds, such as those in Pixar’s catalog or that of The Nightmare Before Christmas, but also live-action media with its Pirates of the Caribbean world. With some speculation about Endor featuring in a promotional video for Kingdom Hearts (albeit nothing has been confirmed on that front), there’s more than a little possibility for Kingdom Hearts to push the envelope and bring Marvel into the fold.
Kingdom Hearts 4 Should Break the Mold on a Big Franchise Convention
While Kingdom Hearts 4 seems set to bring several huge changes to the series, expanding one area in particular would be a natural evolution.
Kingdom Hearts 4 Should Skip The MCU
Marvel is thick with fantasy elements that a Kingdom Hearts game could take advantage of, from the Norse-mythological heroics of Thor to the sorcery of Doctor Strange. Its comic book realms are ripe with opportunities for fun gameplay, dazzling visuals, and fun takes on beloved characters. On the other hand, there’s a risk inherent to the prospect of bringing Marvel into the mix if the MCU gets involved. Combining the complexity of the MCU with Kingdom Hearts’ own convolution is already a headache waiting to happen, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to problems with a potential MCU inclusion.
The MCU Is Way Too Oversaturated
While the MCU has a great deal of iconography for Kingdom Hearts 4 to take advantage of, that same iconography has been driven into the ground. To make a point about MCU fatigue is as done to death as the MCU itself, but it has to be mentioned. Phases 4 and 5 have stepped up content production in a big way, whilst dropping the ball on quality in the eyes of many. This deluge of mundane superhero media has started to stir dislike against the MCU, and including it in Kingdom Hearts may elicit a groan more than a grin.
Moreover, the MCU is far too vast for any point of it to be easily picked out. The current multiverse-spanning era of the MCU is not nearly iconic enough for a definitive portrayal, and that’s without mentioning how difficult it is to parse. Kingdom Hearts 4 would probably set a hypothetical Marvel world around the 2012 Avengers and their battle for New York or within Infinity Wars‘ Battle of Wakanda. However, this would still likely disappoint huge numbers of fans. It would be better to create an exclusive continuity that can generally hit the right franchise beats.
An MCU World Threatens an Identity Crisis
On that subject, the MCU is likely to clash with the tone of Kingdom Hearts. Its adult, politically-charged material is a poor fit for the franchise. Moreover, the universe is already at tonal odds with itself. Many of its films portray a war between quippy humor and tragic subjects, with the best among them striking a balance. However, some titles fail to make either peak, often leading to a bland midpoint. It’s entirely possible that the MCU could bring an identity crisis to Kingdom Hearts 4.
Getting The Right Cast Would Be A Big Struggle
The actors behind the MCU are a big reason for its fame. Actors like Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Holland, and many more are closely tied to their characters. It’s unlikely that these huge names would be attainable for Kingdom Hearts 4, but their notoriety would demand impeccable soundalikes to maintain the illusion. It’s entirely possible, but it’d be quite a struggle.
Kingdom Hearts 4
Kingdom Hearts 4 is an action RPG developed by Square Enix and represents the fifteenth installment in the franchise. Players once again are put in the shoes of Sora who is suddenly trapped in a more realistic world called Quadratum, with companions like Donald and Goofy attempting to rescue him. Kingdom Hearts 4 is a direct sequel to Kingdom Hearts 3 and Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory.
