Unless you’ve been on Ogygia for the past year and a half, you’ve probably heard reports of a Percy Jackson and the Olympians TV series being in the works. The beloved fantasy adventure novels inspired by Greek mythology have sold more than 180 million copies worldwide and even sparked a spin-off series, The Heroes of Olympus.
On January 25, 2022, author Rick Riordan announced that the Percy Jackson series had officially received the green light from Disney and will be coming to the small screen.
Here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming series! The first season will follow the plot of The Lightning Thief. Riordan and Jon Steinberg are writing the pilot, and James Bobin is directing. The first four episodes have been written. There’s an open casting call to find the best actors to play the main trio, Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood. The cast must be able to play 12-year-olds, and the leads should have some chemistry together; race and ethnicity aren’t determining factors, meaning that the cast will likely be diverse. Production is planning to begin this summer in Vancouver. According to Rick Riordan himself, it’s one of the biggest shows the teams at Disney have ever produced!
If that isn’t exciting enough, Riordan had this to say on his blog:
“I can tell you with 100% confidence that this season follows The Lightning Thief faithfully, although we’re adding a lot of interesting nuances, depth, Easter eggs and backstory that will keep the story fresh and fun even if you know the books inside and out.”
Rick Riordan
Don’t mind me rereading the entire series and the spin-offs so I don’t miss out on anything when the series drops.
This series isn’t the first Percy Jackson and the Olympians live-action adaptation. Two previous films, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010) and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013), didn’t live up to the hype. The characters were aged up from twelve to sixteen and the script strayed too far from the source material to please die-hard fans.
However, many fans — myself included — still hold Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief close to their hearts. The film is pure nostalgia for me, from the first generation iPod touch to Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face.” Not to mention how iconic the casting was: Logan Lerman as Percy, Pierce Brosnan as Chiron, Rosario Dawson as Persephone and Uma Thurman as Medusa.
I only have one expectation for this series. I hope that it brings the charm and heart of the books to life. I was nine when I discovered Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and I want kids today to feel that sense of belonging Percy felt when he found Camp Half-Blood. It’s the same way I feel while reading about his adventures, whether it’s the first time or fifth.
And I wouldn’t be too disappointed if Logan Lerman is cast to play Poseidon in the show.