GameTimeline

Watch order

Final Fantasy film & TV timeline

Square Enix's CG films, the Final Fantasy XV prequel anime, and the Final Fantasy XIV live-action drama in US release order—with separate worlds (Spirits Within, VII, XV, XIV) and a clear split from the games on /final-fantasy.

Updated July 2026

Release order

When each Final Fantasy film or series reached US audiences—one row per theatrical CG film, web anime run, or full Netflix season. Spirits Within (2001) stands alone; Advent Children, Brotherhood, and Kingsglaive tie to VII or XV; Dad of Light is a real-world drama about playing XIV.

  • Spirits Within only → 2001 film (no game connection)
  • Final Fantasy VII fans → play FF VII (1997 or Remake path on games page) → Advent Children (2006)
  • Final Fantasy XV fans → Brotherhood (2016) → Kingsglaive (2016) → play Final Fantasy XV
  • Final Fantasy XIV fans → Dad of Light (2017) anytime—real-world story, not expansion lore
Story order tips

When events happen in each work's fiction—2060s Earth for Spirits Within, post–Final Fantasy VII for Advent Children, and XV prequel years for Brotherhood and Kingsglaive. Dad of Light is not in-game fiction and has no Story row.

  • Spirits Within → standalone sci-fi Earth—no link to any numbered game
  • Advent Children → about two years after the original Final Fantasy VII ending
  • Brotherhood → Noctis and friends before the XV game opens
  • Kingsglaive → Niflheim's attack on Insomnia—parallel to the start of Final Fantasy XV

Timeline

When each game was released. Click a game for platforms, dates, and where it fits in your playthrough.

Release order

  1. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

    Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

    TheatricalFilmCG animation

    Standalone sci-fi—Dr. Aki Ross and the Phantom plague on future Earth.

    Overview
    Square Pictures' photorealistic CG feature—Hironobu Sakaguchi directed; shares the Final Fantasy name only.
    In-game setting
    Not set in any Final Fantasy game world—completely separate story.
    Should you play it?
    Watch alone—no game required or recommended.
    Release date
    US theatrical premiere July 11, 2001.
  2. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

    Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

    TheatricalDVDFilmCG animation

    Cloud, Tifa, and Sephiroth's legacy—sequel to the 1997 Final Fantasy VII.

    Overview
    Visual Works CG sequel directed by Tetsuya Nomura—launched the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII era on home video in the West.
    In-game setting
    Follows the original 1997 Final Fantasy VII ending—not the Remake/Rebirth branch on the games page.
    Should you play it?
    Watch after finishing original FF VII (or a detailed recap).
    Release date
    US home-video premiere April 25, 2006 (PG-13); Japan had a 2005 theatrical run earlier.
  3. Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV

    Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV

    YouTubeCrunchyrollWeb seriesAnimation

    Five episodes—Noctis, Prompto, Gladiolus, and Ignis before the road trip.

    Overview
    Free weekly web anime leading into Final Fantasy XV—episodes dropped March through September 2016.
    In-game setting
    Character backstory for Final Fantasy XV—watch before or alongside the game.
    Should you play it?
    Start the XV media path here—about one hour total.
    Release date
    US streaming premiere March 30, 2016 (Episode 1 at Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV); Episode 5 September 17, 2016.
  4. Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV

    Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV

    TheatricalDigitalFilmCG animation

    King Regis and the Kingsglaive—fall of Insomnia before Noctis returns.

    Overview
    Takeshi Nozue directs—Sean Bean, Lena Headey, and Aaron Paul in the English dub.
    In-game setting
    Same timeline as the opening of Final Fantasy XV—explains how Niflheim takes the crown city.
    Should you play it?
    Watch after Brotherhood; play FF XV right after for the full arc.
    Release date
    US limited theatrical run from August 19, 2016; digital August 30; Blu-ray October 4.
  5. Final Fantasy XIV: Dad of Light

    Final Fantasy XIV: Dad of Light

    NetflixTV seriesLive-action

    Eight episodes—Japanese drama about a son reconnecting with his father through FFXIV.

    Overview
    Based on a real player's blog—mixes live-action family drama with in-game footage.
    In-game setting
    Uses Final Fantasy XIV as a setting but tells a real-world story—not expansion plot canon.
    Should you play it?
    Optional for XIV fans—no game order required.
    Release date
    Netflix worldwide premiere September 1, 2017 (eight episodes). Japan aired April–June 2017 on MBS/TBS.

FAQ

Which branch to pick, VII vs XV order, Spirits Within standalone, and optional OVAs.

Watch order

Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV (character backstory, March–September 2016) → Kingsglaive (fall of Insomnia, August 2016) → Final Fantasy XV game. All three were marketing the same 2016 launch—fiction order matches that path.

Canon & games

The Final Fantasy games timeline (/final-fantasy) covers mainline I–XVI, VII Remake/Rebirth, and saga FAQ for X and XIII. This page is films and series only.

No. Spirits Within is unrelated to any game. Advent Children adds VII epilogue context but is optional after FF VII. Brotherhood and Kingsglaive enrich Final Fantasy XV but the game stands alone. Dad of Light is a real-world drama—not game plot.

Optional & extras

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.