Final Fantasy is a series that’s best known for its fantastic characters, its exceptional music, and its wonderful storytelling. As the franchise has grown in popularity, it has branched out into a number of other mediums that help to further develop its lore. There are novels based on the series, a selection of board games, and several movie and anime adaptations as well.
Many fans will have likely checked out Advent Children and The Spirits Within already, but there are plenty of other movies that share similarities with the Final Fantasy series. Some of these likenesses are visual, while others are instead thematic. For those who can’t get enough Final Fantasy, these movies should make for some interesting viewing.
10 L.O.R.D: Legend Of Ravaging Dynasties (2016)
The Chinese movie L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties follows the story of four warring kingdoms as they battle for control of a continent. It’s full of exciting combat and intriguing magic, and its story develops at a satisfying pace. The characters could perhaps have done with a bit more work, although this is something that the movie’s sequel does improve on.
The idea of warring empires is one that features in many Final Fantasy games, including the series’ latest entry. The soul beasts that appear throughout the movie are also incredibly similar to summons, although they are based on real-world animals rather than the mythical beasts that can be summoned in Final Fantasy.
9 Seventh Son (2014)
The world in which Seventh Son takes place is shaped by magic and inhabited by a wide range of interesting creatures and characters. It’s a classic good vs. evil story with an unsuspecting young man fulfilling his destiny to triumph over a maleficent witch.
Although set shortly after the end of the Medieval period, Seventh Son‘s setting still shares a strong resemblance to the era. For this reason, its world should feel like home to fans of some of the earlier Final Fantasy games. The story itself is a little played out and the acting is far from the finest, but, thanks to its wonderful world, Seventh Son is worth a look for fans of the fantasy genre.
8 Highlander: The Search For Vengeance (2007)
Highlander: The Search for Vengeance is an epic adventure that unfolds over the course of thousands of years. It features evil empires, strange magic, and two immortal warriors whose rivalry has a huge impact on the fate of the world.
The rivalry between Colin and Marcus is at times reminiscent of some of those found throughout the Final Fantasy series. It’s their everlasting conflict that makes the story so engaging, although it’s also backed up with some excellent combat scenes and a stellar voice cast that includes Nolan North (credited as Zachary Samuels).
7 Escaflowne: The Movie (2000)
Escaflowne: The Movie tells the story of an ordinary young woman who is whisked away to the fantasy world of Gaea. Here, she must work with a group of rebels to free the world from the tyranny of evil. As events unfold, it becomes clear that she has more of a connection with Gaea than she or anybody else first realized.
The world of Gaea feels like it could have been lifted straight out of a Final Fantasy game, as do some of its inhabitants. The rivalry between siblings Van and Folken is quite reminiscent of Final Fantasy IV while the main protagonist Hitomi has a lot in common with Final Fantasy VI‘s Terra. She’s also voiced by Maaya Sakamoto in the Japanese dub, who some fans may recognize as the voice of both Aerith and Lightning.
6 Sky Blue (2003)
Sky Blue is set in a not too distant future where civilization has collapsed and a futuristic domed city called Ecoban has risen from the ashes. It’s a city that treats its lower-class citizens like slaves and servants, which leads to a group of rebels seeking to destroy the dome in order to free the city’s underclass from the might of the rich and powerful.
Visually, Sky Blue looks a lot like Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within due to both its CGI usage and the animation style employed. In terms of setting, Ecoban isn’t too dissimilar to Midgar, thanks to its futuristic appearance and class-based social structure. The English voice actors for the three main characters have also worked on Final Fantasy games, although in fairly minor roles.
5 Willow (1988)
Directed by Ron Howard and produced by George Lucas, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Willow performed as well as it did at the box office. It’s an incredibly well-made dark fantasy title that’s able to provide an enjoyable experience even in spite of its lackluster story.
Warwick Davis’ performance as the titular character is fantastic although the story, which seems to have been partly inspired by the bible, really doesn’t do him any favors. The setting of the movie is where it really shines though, with a well-fleshed out world that at times manages to feel just a little Tolkien-esque.
4 Legend (1985)
Legend may be starting to show its age a little now, but it remains one of the all-time great dark fantasy movies. Tom Cruise and Tim Curry’s performances are top drawer and the conflict between their characters is truly gripping. The world is enchanting, the story engaging, and the overall experience one that is not to be missed.
As a villain, the Lord of Darkness can hold his own against some of Final Fantasy’s very best and his early success in casting the world into darkness should remind viewers of the cataclysm in Final Fantasy VI. The world itself is full of fantasy elements and they contribute to the narrative in a meaningful and entertaining way.
3 Legend Of The Millennium Dragon (2011)
Much of Legend of the Millennium Dragon‘s story takes place in the Heian period of Japan. After being transported 1,200 years into the past, a timid teenager named Jun must work together with a legendary monster to end the war between humans and demons. He’s aided on his journey by a number of interesting characters and slowly grows into the hero that he was always destined to become.
It’s a movie that’s full of fantastic creatures with a setting that shares many similarities with early Final Fantasy games. The Yamata no Orochi, a serpent-like monster that plays a significant role in the story, is based on Asian mythology and also served as the inspiration for Leviathan, which appears regularly in Final Fantasy. Jun’s transition from an ordinary boy to hero is also not too different from Bartz, who appears in the series’ fifth entry.
2 Dragonlance: Dragons Of Autumn Twilight (2008)
Given some of the similarities between Dungeons and Dragons and Final Fantasy, Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight should feel fairly familiar for fans of the latter franchise. It tells the story of six friends as they seek to find proof of the existence of Gods and battle against evil armies and strange creatures.
The party-orientated nature of the movie is very much in keeping with what one might expect to find in a Final Fantasy game, as are many of the creatures that the friends encounter. More time could have been spent developing the characters and the voice acting isn’t always up to the standards that one might expect from such a talented cast. When it comes to that Final Fantasy feel though, it’s right on the money.
1 The Dark Crystal (1982)
Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal tells the story of Jen as he seeks to overthrow the evil Skeksis and restore balance to the mystical world of Thra by restoring a shattered crystal. Its themes are incredibly similar to those found in earlier Final Fantasy games and directly inspired the production of Final Fantasy IX.
Where the movie differs from Final Fantasy is in its tone. It’s much darker than anything that the series has to offer, but its fantastic world and characters are every bit as captivating. The Skeksis are a well thought out species, both in terms of their design and their seven deadly sins inspired personalities and the protagonist Jen becomes increasingly likable as the narrative unfolds.
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