Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV

a film

Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV is a feature-length CGI film set during the events of Final Fantasy XV. It was officially revealed during the Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV event and is 110 minutes long. According to developers, one can enjoy Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV without playing Final Fantasy XV, and vice versa. Experiencing both tales, however, ensures a deeper level of appreciation for them, as they are intended to compliment one another.

Story
While Final Fantasy XV tells the story of Noctis's journey, Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV depicts the events that take place in Lucis during the prince's absence. The members of the eponymous Kingsglaive serve as the film's main characters; together, they comprise an elite team of royal guards tasked with protecting King Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII.

Characters

 * Nyx Ulric - The main protagonist.
 * Lunafreya Nox Fleuret - The former princess of Tenebrae.
 * Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII - The reigning monarch of the Kingdom of Lucis.
 * Luche Lazarus - A member of the Kingsglaive who considers himself to be the group's leader.
 * Libertus Ostium - A cheerful member of the Kingsglaive and Nyx Ulric's best friend.
 * Drautos - The commander of the Kingsglaive.
 * Crowe Altius - The Kingsglaive's sole female member.

Music
Yoko Shimomura, composer of the Final Fantasy XV soundtrack, contributed the main theme song of Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV. She also oversaw the production of music that connected the film to Final Fantasy XV. A majority of the score is described as "Shimomura meets Hollywood," which, according to Takeshi Nozue, means Shimomura would compose the pieces before a Hollywood arranger modified them.

Another contributor to the soundtrack is John Graham.

Development
At the Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV event, Aaron Paul, Nyx's voice actor, revealed Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV had been in development for at least three years before its announcement. The first trailer for the film premiered at the event, as well.

With Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, Square Enix aimed to create a film of the highest quality, for it was not limited by the capabilities of a game console. The movie and Final Fantasy XV were meant to share voice casts, but scheduling conflicts and high costs prevented this from coming to fruition. Real actors inspired the designs of some of the characters in Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV; the appearance of King Regis was changed because of the film, and this transformation was carried over to Final Fantasy XV for consistency's sake.

The cast was chosen based on its acting ability, and to give viewers a truly cinematic experience, developers hired a professional screenwriter and other Hollywood staff. Square Enix's internal team of approximately 50 members cooperated with various other production teams from around the world; other studios who worked on Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV include Digic Pictures, which is known for its work on Assassin's Creed, and Image Engine, which is known for its contributions to major Hollywood productions like Jurassic World and Game of Thrones. According to Takeshi Nozue, the Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV project never slept: the Los Angeles team worked on the film during Japanese mornings, while the European team worked on it during Japanese nights.

When the creator of the Final Fantasy series, Hironobu Sakaguchi, saw Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, he stated King Regis's eyes seemed too immaculate, clear, and child-like; they did not suit someone who had a lifetime of experience. Sakaguchi also claimed Regis's eyes prevented viewers from becoming immersed in the monarch's world; despite the lifelike visuals of Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, the eyes of the film's characters gave away their true, CG nature. Takeshi Nozue took this feedback into consideration, and his team decided to further polish the film.

Themes
The core theme of Final Fantasy XV is "the bond between parent and child." Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV details the parent's side of this relationship: Regis acts as a link between the stories of both Final Fantasy XV and the film.

Release
For marketing purposes, Square Enix decided to release Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV before Final Fantasy XV. Aniplex is in charge of the film's distribution to Japanese theaters; screenings begin on July 9. Pre-orders for tickets to these screenings went on sale on April 23.

On June 13, 2016, it was revealed Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV would be viewable in select theaters across the United States on August 19.