Disney is bringing Kingdom Hearts to television with a new anime series headed for Disney+ and Disney Channel. The project will tell a brand-new story, expand the franchise’s wider narrative, and celebrate the characters that players know from the games.
Disney announced the anime on August 15, 2026, at 7:52 am EST, describing it as “An original Kingdom Hearts anime series inspired by the beloved video game franchise” coming soon to Disney Channel and Disney+. The announcement gives fans two destinations for the new series, but it does not provide a release date or details about the episode count.
The anime is being developed with Tetsuya Nomura and the creative team at Square Enix. Nomura serves as director and character designer of Kingdom Hearts titles, while Square Enix is also planning the franchise’s next game installment. That connection places the anime alongside the games rather than presenting it as a separate project with no link to the series’ creative team.
A New Story With Familiar Characters
Disney says the anime will feature a brand-new story that expands on the Kingdom Hearts franchise while celebrating its game characters. That description points to a story designed to add something new without leaving behind the cast that helped define the games.
The teaser has already created one early mystery. Some fans believe the character shown is not Sora, the protagonist of the games, but a keyblade wielder. The available information does not confirm the character’s identity, so the question remains open as the anime moves toward its release.
That uncertainty gives the announcement an immediate hook. The anime has a new story, an unknown central character, and involvement from the people behind the game series. Fans now have a clear reason to examine the teaser while waiting for Disney and Square Enix to share more details.
The project also gives the franchise another way to present its characters. The games remain at the center of the Kingdom Hearts experience, but an anime can carry the series’ story to Disney Channel and Disney+ audiences through a different format. Disney’s announcement frames that expansion around both a fresh narrative and familiar game characters.
Kingdom Hearts IV Adds Another Major Reveal
Disney’s announcement came with a second piece of news: a glimpse of Kingdom Hearts IV. The upcoming game will feature a setting based on Pixar’s Coco, adding that world to the next installment of the franchise.
Square Enix plans to release the next installment in late 2027. That timing gives the game a clear place in the franchise’s future, while the anime’s release date remains unconfirmed. Together, the two projects show Disney and Square Enix preparing new Kingdom Hearts material across both television and games.
The Coco-based setting is the only specific setting detail provided for Kingdom Hearts IV. The announcement does not include information about the game’s wider story, its characters, or how the setting will connect to the new installment. For now, the glimpse confirms the setting’s basis in Pixar’s Coco and the planned late 2027 release window.
That leaves fans with two different kinds of questions. The anime raises questions about its unknown keyblade wielder and how its new story will expand the franchise. Kingdom Hearts IV raises questions about how a setting based on Coco will fit into the next game.
Neither project has a full set of details yet, but both now have a defined place in the franchise’s plans. The anime is coming to Disney+ and Disney Channel, and the next game installment is planned for late 2027. Disney and Square Enix have provided the direction; fans are waiting for the details that will fill in the rest.
