Square Enix has partnered with Fathom Events and Sony Pictures to bring the director’s cut of Final Fantasy VII Advent Children to theaters for the first time. Premiering ahead of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’s launch on February 29, the theatrical sequel to the original Final Fantasy VII will get its first run in U.S. theaters for just two days.
Dubbed Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete, this expanded version of the 2005 CG film is 26 minutes longer than the original. Square Enix states it features “roughly a thousand revised scenes with expanded themes and improved visuals.”
Before the film starts, though, fans who arrive early will witness exclusive introductory content, such as a history of Final Fantasy VII presentation that explains its ties to Advent Children. Gameplay footage of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will be shown off, along with new interviews about the project with FF7 Remake creative director (and Advent Children director) Tetsuya Nomura, Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi, and producer Yoshinori Kitase.
Final Fantasy VII Advent Children takes place two years after the events of the original Final Fantasy VII. Cloud and his friends tackle a mysterious illness spreading across Midgar, along with the appearance of new enemies tied to a familiar foe. Advent Children became a popular film due to its, at the time, impressive CG animation and action scenes.
Newcomers who hopped on the series with Remake should be warned that Advent Children more or less spoils the ending of Final Fantasy VII, so even though Rebirth may potentially steer the narrative in other directions, you may want to keep that in mind if you’d rather stay in the dark. If you miss this theatrical run, you can always pick up the enhanced 4K Blu-ray of Advent Children Complete that dropped a few years ago.
Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete will play in 650 theaters nationwide on two days: February 21 and 22. Showings on the 21 will play the English dubbed version; showings on the 22 are for the English subbed. You can see if the film is playing in your area by visiting Fathom’s website.
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