On Sep. 19, the Percy Jackson and The Olympians teaser trailer was released, leaving anticipating fans like myself in a frenzy. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s nervous about the new Disney Plus show after the original movies were, in my opinion, not up to the books’ standards (the books will always be better). But with every new piece of media that’s posted relating to the new show, I become more and more excited to see it unfold on Dec. 20 in the two-episode premiere.
Let’s start with the song choice for the trailer. Vance Joy’s “Riptide” plays throughout, which is not only a nod to the fandom, but a nod to the book itself as well. Fans on Riordan Wiki describe “Riptide” as being the perfect anthem for Percy, the son of the sea god. Also, Percy’s pen (and sword, if you want to get technical) is called Anaklusmos, which is Greek for Riptide. I guess you could say this song fits the vibe pretty well.
The trailer opens with Percy on his class field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We get to see a glimpse of Percy’s “troubled kid” tendencies with his dyslexia and bullies at Yancy Academy. But the best part of the beginning of this teaser is the inclusion of Mrs. Dodds, Percy’s part-time math teacher and full-time Fury from hell. It’s only right that she gets a cameo in the trailer, considering Chapter 1 of The Lightning Thief is called “I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher.”
Mrs. Dodds is the gateway to Percy’s introduction to life as a half-blood. As mythological monsters continue to seek him out Percy finds Grover, his best friend, without his satyr legs disguised. My favorite clip of the trailer overall is when Percy asks, “Grover, why is there half a goat in your pants?” followed by the biggest side-eye ever after Grover replies, “So the important thing is not to panic.” Because of course, when you find out your best friend is a satyr, you don’t panic.
While the details in the trailer have me screaming, the big picture has me freaking out as well. That big picture couldn’t have come together without our leads. Despite the controversy regarding the casting choices, I love Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson and Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase. I don’t find that Scobell being blond diminishes his performance as Percy, and I don’t find that Jeffries not being blonde invalidates her as Annabeth. The work that I’ve seen so far displays exactly what I want to see from the two of them as characters (can you tell I’m losing my mind over the Percabeth hug?). I have no complaints with the casting department. I’d like to give them a cookie or two, or the whole batch, to show my appreciation.
The cinematography of this show is already incredible, and I’ve only seen a few minutes of content. Watching the trailer has made me feel nostalgic, and I need to read the books again to prepare for the show this winter.
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Pinterest!