Persona 4.
Over the years Persona has seen a steady rise from a niche RPG series to a bonafide hit — so the next natural step is a live-action adaptation. While there’s nothing officially in the works just yet, Toru Nakahara, producer on the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movies, says that it’s something that Sega is exploring.
“Atlus’ worlds are filled with high drama, cutting-edge style and compelling characters,” Nakahara told IGN. “Stories like those from the Persona franchise really resonate with our fans and we see an opportunity to expand the lore like no one has seen — or played — before.” More directly, he said that “together, Sega and Atlus, are working to bring these stories and worlds to life through new mediums and for new audiences.”
The news comes at a time when seemingly every popular video game is being adapted in some way, from Sony’s shows based on Twisted Metal, The Last of Us, and Ghost of Tsushima to the animated Super Mario movie from the team behind Minions (which will somehow star Chris Pratt in the lead role). Netflix, meanwhile, has gone all-in on gaming adaptations following the success of series like The Witcher and The Cuphead Show. Sega, of course, has seen some big success with its live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movie, which spawned a sequel that hit theaters earlier this year.
It’s questionable whether the anime-influenced world of Persona would be a good fit for a live-action adaptation, but the news comes when the series is as popular as it’s ever been following news that the most recent titles would be coming to new platforms like the Xbox and Nintendo Switch.