Greek mythology enthusiasts and young-adult fiction readers, rejoice! Percy Jackson and the Olympians is finally getting the Hollywood treatment it deserves! The beloved, award-winning book series is coming to our screens at home, courtesy of none other than Disney. Rick Riordan’s original series has spawned or inspired multiple other projects, including everything from several sequel series to a Broadway musical.
If you enjoy other fantasy universes, such as those of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, Percy Jackson and the Olympians is something you won’t want to miss! It will be interesting to see how this series pans out, but what we do know for certain is that the viewership for this series will be high. The Percy Jackson fandom is arguably a large one and they have been waiting for something new for a while now. So, here’s everything you need to know about Percy Jackson and the Olympians ahead of its release:
A message from the messenger god himself: @Lin_Manuel Miranda is Hermes in #PercyJackson and the Olympians, an Original series coming to #DisneyPlus! pic.twitter.com/ncXp0Rl8Un
— Disney+ (@DisneyPlus) November 7, 2022
What is the Plot of Percy Jackson and the Olympians?
What do we know about the plot so far? We do know that the protagonist is Perseus ”Percy” Jackson, the demigod son of Poseidon who was abandoned by his father because of an oath the god swore to his brothers, Zeus and Hades. After World War II, the three brothers swore not to father any more children so as not to unleash the power of demigods upon the Earth. Percy finds out that he is not the only demigod, and he meets some of his equals at Camp Half-Blood, a training camp in Long Island.
Throughout the novels, Percy finds himself the target of ancient beings and mythical monsters who are intimidated by his lineage and strength. Early on, Percy learns that his best friend, Grover Underwood, is actually a satyr whose task is to protect Percy. The two boys befriend Annabeth Chase, a daughter of Athena, during their time at Camp Half-Blood, and the trio set out to save the world from another Olympian war.
We believe the first season of the show will most likely closely follow the first book, The Lightning Thief. In this first installment, Percy and his mother Sally travel to their cabin in Montauk (Long Island, New York) for summer vacation, but their trip doesn’t exactly go according to plan, with the two experiencing foreboding incidents, such as a Minotaur attack. When Sally goes missing, Percy finds himself plunged into a whole new world at Camp Half-Blood, learning of his true ancestry for the first time. Even more unfortunately, he learns that Zeus has accused him of stealing his Master Bolt, a lightning bolt that just so happens to be the most powerful weapon in the universe.
The Cast of Percy Jackson and the Olympians
13-year-old actor Walker Scobell will be taking on the coveted role of Percy, and author-turned-screenwriter Riordan had a hand in the casting decision himself. He shared the following on his website: “It was obvious to me and the rest of the team that Walker had the perfect mix of comedic timing, sweetness, rebelliousness, snark and heroism to embody our hero Percy Jackson.” Scobell most recently starred in Netflix’s sci-fi adventure film The Adam Project with Ryan Reynolds.
Apart from Scobell, Grover Underwood will be portrayed by Aryan Simhadri, known for his roles in the 2022 Disney+ remake of Cheaper by the Dozen and the Disney Channel Original Movie Spin. Rounding out the trio as Annabeth Chase is Leah Sava Jeffries, who Riordan says is exactly how he imagined Annabeth to be in the books. Comedians Jason Mantzoukas and Megan Mullally will also appear in recurring roles.
When and Where Can You Watch Percy Jackson and the Olympians?
We don’t know exactly when Percy Jackson and the Olympians will premiere, but Riordan suggests that, by his own estimate, the series could premiere in early 2024. The first season will be comprised of eight episodes, and it will be available to stream on Disney+. Although there is a little bit of a wait, we’ll be sure to let you know when a release date has been confirmed!
Is There a Trailer for Percy Jackson and the Olympians?
As the series is expected to be released in 2024, we have not seen a full-length trailer yet. However, in September 2022, Disney released a teaser at its annual D23 Expo. So far, many fans seem reassured by the teaser, having experienced major disappointment when the author and source material were disregarded completely during the production of the 2010 and 2013 film adaptations. Riordan has promised fans that he is playing a major role in the development of Disney’s take on his story, and lovers of the books are more optimistic, having heard Percy’s speech from the first page of The Lightning Thief word-for-word as the voiceover in the trailer.
Conclusion
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is sure to be something enjoyed by all ages and across genres. We’re so excited to learn more about this series as it develops! Keep an eye out for updates from us! We’d also suggest following author Rick Riordan on Instagram and Twitter, as he loves to share updates from production.
Deepti is a prolific content writer for OpenMediaHub who specializes in movies, tv shows, and web series, along with occasional reviews. Her interests lie in watching different genres and reading comics books, although her main passion is writing for as long as she remembers.
