Final Fantasy Cinematic Universe, you say? Then, have I got some reading for you. *Although, I suppose it's a bit late to be promoting this now, but I'll throw it out there anyway*
Final Fantasy Exigo
Before the term Cinematic Universe was a thing. Anyway, if Nomura's planning an FCU of sorts, he's not doing a very good job of it. As far as I can see, it'd be a FFVIICU, which would include FFX given what we know of the two titles from interviews.
The link between the two games is firmly established here. The Whispers are essentially a cross between unsent and the will of the Farplane, which then could also be the will of the Lifestream.
If we incorporate my interpretation of the Spira/Gaia connection from Exigo, which also includes Gran Pulse as the final incarnation of the planet, then time travel and alternate timelines is possible through the use of pyreflies, which are the same as Lifestream particles and the Chaos. Chaos appears as black smoke which is how the Whispers are depicted.
However, that would be where this FCU would end. I don't see any notions towards linking the other FF games. From my perspective, this game feels as if a vivid dream state for one character, likely Cloud, with Aeris and Sephiroth acting as manipulators, the angel and devil on his shoulders, guiding him towards some outcome that will influence him once he wakes. In the game, we see Aeris attempt to keep to the status quo, but slowly accept that the new events established in this new reality cannot be returned to normal and she must adapt to it if she's to succeed. Sephiroth has shown he means to convince Cloud to side with him to accomplish some undisclosed future goal.
If that's the case, my Exigo already has this story, albeit the remake would be playing out in Cloud's head during said events, with Aeris trying to save him from Sephiroth's manipulating him into causing a disaster. In this case, there's no time or alternate reality and what's being changed is Cloud's memories and emotions of the original game's events, which could be used to push him into a new mindset. By the end of the original game, Cloud had overcome his demons and firmly established who he was and what he needed to do. This led to Sephiroth's downfall, but we see in Advent Children that Cloud still carried doubts. It was then Aeris again, who allowed Cloud to regain his composure and defeat Sephiroth a second time. However, this has established that Cloud is still vulnerable to his machinations. The Remake could simply be Sephiroth's next attempt.
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