Walt Disney’sWish, starring Ariana DeBose and Chris Pine, was released on July 26, 2025, in theaters and had a worldwide box office gross of $255 million. While this performance is respectable, it fell short of expectations for Disney’s 100th anniversary film, which had a production budget of around $175–200 million. Despite that,Wishcarries significant thematic weight as the 100th-anniversary movie for Disney, and on top of it, it packs so many references to Disney lore that it would be the perfect basis for a world inKingdom Hearts 4.
In the context ofKingdom Hearts, despite being a let-down at the box office, the movie is still a great ice-breaker and paves the way for more potential crossovers and happens to be a great candidate for the game series. The movie’s focus on the “wishing star” — a key theme throughout Disney history — would align naturally withKingdom Hearts’ themes of magic, wishes, and light vs. darkness while freeing up space for more high-value content.
What Disney’s Wish Could Mean for Kingdom Hearts
SinceWishreferences so much of Disney’s history, it could essentially condense multiple Disney worlds into one, and allowKingdom Heartsdevelopers to include other content from Pixar orFinal Fantasyworldswithout needing to add separate levels for all those Disney references. The movie’s box office performance, therefore, shouldn’t become an excuse to lessen its chances of potentially turning into aKingdom Heartstitle.
Wish Holds Legacy Over Box Office
TheKingdom Heartsseries has often chosen Disney worlds based on their legacy and thematic fit rather than box office success.Fantasia, for example, didn’t do well financially when it was first released, yet its worlds play a significant part inKingdom Hearts. The key is how well the movie’s story and characters can be adapted into theKingdom Heartsuniverse, andWishseems like it could lend itself well to that. It’s Disney’s 100th anniversary film, so it holds significance beyond ticket sales.
There’s Room To Incorporate More Content
Because Wish references so many parts of Disney lore, incorporating it could be a way to bundle multiple Disney worlds into one, freeing up space for more Pixar, Square Enix, or original content. Better yet,Wishcould even act as a hub world that gives players access to micro-versions of iconic Disney worlds or moments. It’s a smart way to celebrateDisney’s historywithout using up multiple world slots for older films.
Wish’s Theme and Lore Synergy Fits Well With Kingdom Hearts
Wishis loaded with references to Disney’s long history, and including it inKingdom Heartsis just a smart use of its lore. The movie already incorporates a lot of Disney’s classic themes, like magic, wishes, and the fight between good and evil, which align perfectly with the heart ofKingdom Hearts’sstorytelling. Plus,Kingdom Heartsworlds don’t have to follow the movies exactly and the developers could take the best parts ofWish— Rosas, its magic, other characters, or references — and shape them to fit the game.
Asha, for instance, could join forces with Sora. She could use her wish-granting abilities and Star’s magic to fight against King Magnifico, the villainous ruler hoarding the kingdom’s stolen wishes. Star could also act as a guide and combat ally, while Magnifico, empowered by dark magic, would serve as a formidable boss whose defeat involves freeing the suppressed desires of Rosas' people. There’s so much room here and the inclusion of stories from other worlds would be a breeze too.
