First released back in 2000 as the ninth main installment in Square Enix’s Final Fantasy franchise, Final Fantasy IX tells the story of a war against nations in the medieval fantasy world known as Gaia. Players would take on the role of thief Zidane Tribal, who kidnaps princess Garnet Til Alexandros XVII, before the pair, joined by a colorful cast of characters, plot to take down her mother who was the reason behind the war’s inception.

Released to critical acclaim, Final Fantasy IX was released in 2010 as a PS1 classic on the PlayStation Store, alongside an enhanced port in 2016. However, fans are feeling the hype once more as an animated series adaptation, which was first announced back in 2021, has finally entered production.

Final Fantasy 9 Is Finally Getting A Sequel

Titled The Black Mages’ Legacy, the animated adaptation has now entered production at EuroVisual Studios and is set to air sometime in 2028. Originally, The Black Mages’ Legacy was set to be headed by Cyber Group Studios, but when the studio shut its doors, it was soon picked up by French animation studio EuroVisual Studios.

So what does being in production mean for the highly anticipated show? Well, entering pre-production means that The Black Mages’ Legacy has left behind the planning and concept stages and has now received funding, meaning that its creation can now begin in earnest. Expected to consist of ten episodes, with each running for around 22 minutes, the official synopsis reads as follows:

Imel, Koln, Luciola, Théa, Fala and Doc, children of the hero Bibi, are the last dark mages of the four continents. Today, they live happily in the city of ALEXANDRIA, guarded by its inhabitants who are rather friendly, although sometimes very curious. Unfortunately, this peaceful existence was not meant to last… One day, Koln discovers Mel, frozen like a statue, in the inn where he works. Could it be the tragic legacy of their father catching up with them?

The New Final Fantasy 9 Series Has Been Rumoured For Ages

As mentioned, The Black Mages’ Legacy was first announced back in 2021, but due to the closure of its original studio, its production was met with a delay. However, with the news that it has now entered pre-production, its 2028 release window seems all the more likely. As such, fans took to r/FinalFantasyIX to share their thoughts on the recent announcement.

“I suspect they will at least be important side characters,” one user said in response to another fan hoping for the addition of “Zidane, Garnet and other party members.” Following the story of IX located in Alexandria, “the last black mages,” with their relatively short lifespan — sounds like a pretty safe bet that we will see our favorite heroes as well.” Another user summed up our thoughts when they said, “Apparently I need to do a better job tracking this. I thought they canceled it a while back.”

So there you have it,The Black Mages’ Legacy is set to launch in 2028 and with pre-production now in full force, we can expect to hear and see more about this exciting <em>Final Fantasy IX</em> adaptation soon.