A wild theory about FF15 and River Phoenix's final film
I recently started playing FF15. When I booted it up, a black screen appeared with just text: "A Final Fantasy for Fans and First-Timers." Right after, the story begins with a broken-down car and "Stand by Me" playing. It made me wonder: why "Stand by Me"?
Then it clicked. River Phoenix, who starred in the movie Stand by Me, passed away in 1993 while filming an unfinished movie called Dark Blood. Twenty years later, in 2012, the original director revived the project using River’s remaining footage. It was released in Japan in April 2014.
The opening of Dark Blood features only a black screen and a voiceover narration by the director, George Sluizer, explaining how 25% of the film was missing, and asking the audience to fill in the missing pieces with their imagination—comparing the film to a "three-legged chair."
Shortly after the movie's Japanese release, in September 2014, FF15 went through its own director change. On top of that, early in Dark Blood, a couple's Bentley breaks down, and they have to visit a repair shop in the desert. This setup is incredibly similar to the beginning of FF15.
Maybe by choosing "Stand by Me," the developers weren't just paying a simple homage to River Phoenix. By linking the game to him, perhaps they were subtly dropping a hidden message: that this game, too, is a "beautifully unfinished" masterpiece—just like Dark Blood.
Just a wild theory from a new player, but the parallels are crazy. (Just thinking out loud!)