Atlus and Sega’s Persona video game franchise is being adapted into a TV series, with development currently underway at Netflix, 21 Laps and Story Kitchen.
The news arrives courtesy of Variety, which indicated work is progressing swiftly, with a script currently being written, and production deals seemingly locked in.
Persona live-action TV series – quick links
Who’s behind the Persona live-action adaptation?
Christopher Monfette (VisionQuest, Star Trek: Picard) will write the adaptation, and it’s worth noting he has a pedigree in large-scale genre adventures. He was also previously an entertainment journalist for IGN, so there’s likely plenty of familiarity with the source material.
The involvement of Story Kitchen is also promising. This production company has a specialty in video game adaptations, and previously worked on the Sonic the Hedgehog film franchise and Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft.
Story Kitchen has spent the last few years hoovering up the rights to produce a variety of other adaptations, with games including It Takes Two, Life is Strange, Sleeping Dogs, Split Fiction, Vampire Survivors, Streets of Rage and even Australian-made adventure The Drifter currently being developed for the screen.
While much of the Story Kitchen library remains in the development stages, there are several projects advancing at speed. Life is Strange already has its key cast locked in and filming has reportedly begun. Streets of Rage has been in development for several years and has had a writer changeover, but work continues and Jeymes Samuel (The Harder They Fall) has been locked in to direct.
Joining the Story Kitchen team is fellow production company 21 Laps, which was founded by Shawn Levy (Stranger Things). This company also has a history with genre adaptations, having co-produced Stranger Things, Backrooms, Deadpool & Wolverine, Shadow and Bone, and more.
Persona publisher Sega is also on board for the adaptation, with Toru Nakahara (Sonic the Hedgehog) executive producing.
ScreenHub: More video game adaptations
What is the Persona live-action TV series about?
As shared by Variety, exact plot details for this adaptation remain under wraps. More than likely, these ideas are still being developed as the script advances through its draft stages.
Should it adhere to the franchise formula, and what makes the Persona franchise so popular around the world, we expect the live-action adaptation will follow school-age children as they fight against the evils of the world.
In each Persona entry, young heroes are tasked with a variety of everyday life responsibilities – studying, maintaining friendships, exercising and staying healthy and having fun. They also usually need to save the world from demonic threats, as they harness the skills of supernatural creatures to fight back against major threats.
For a mainstream audience, there is a touch of Pokémon in this turn-based gameplay, although with more gothic and psychological horror vibes.
At this stage, we don’t know which exact Persona game will be adapted, although the globally-popular breakout hit Persona 5 might be the most obvious answer, should the games serve as direct inspiration. (It’s possible this will be an original adaptation, too.) This particular title became a roaring success when it released in 2016 for its lively cast of characters, its bouncy action gameplay, and its more grounded story.
In this title, the main cast transforms into the dashing Phantom Thieves, magical anti-heroes who can alter the hearts and minds of villains. Rather than shy away what true evil looks like in modern society, the game tackled a variety of grounded, dark themes, including exploitative adults and sexual assault.
There are certainly plenty of relevant, pressing plot threads that could be adapted here, for a story that embraces the uniqueness of Persona while telling an essential story about the power and fortitude of kids.
