Disney's Percy Jackson: Release Date, Cast, Plot, Trailer, And More
Calling all demigods! Rick Riordan's bestselling middle-grade series "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" is finally getting the TV treatment it has always deserved! For those of us who grew up cheering Percy on, resenting the Gods of Olympus, and pondering which Camp Half-Blood cabin would be our home, this is a dream come true. Better yet, this adaptation will introduce Riordan's mythology-packed coming-of-age tale to a new generation.
First released in 2005, "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" brings Greek mythology into the 21st century by following the adventures of a young demigod caught in the middle of a war between the Gods. With grit, friendship, and a pen, Percy manages to survive and even save the world along the way. Interest piqued? Below is everything you need to know about the upcoming adaptation.
When does Percy Jackson and the Olympians premiere on Disney+?
It's been a long, strange road for Percy Jackson from the page to the small screen. Rick Riordan's books were first adapted as a pair of feature films from 20th Century Fox, 2010's "Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief" and its 2013 sequel, "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters." Critical reception was middling and the box office receipts weren't strong enough to continue with a third film, but it seems no one was more disappointed that Riordan himself. In a 2018 post on his blog, the author stressed that he had no control over the production and was contractually limited in how much he could say publicly, but put it bluntly: "Check out my website ... Do you see any indication there that the Percy Jackson movies ever existed? No. No, you do not."
His tone with far more positive when it came time to announce development of the Disney+ series on his site in 2020, promising his close involvement and telling fans, "It's going to be a fantastic, exciting ride!" He's been sharing enthusiastic updates about the production ever since.
The wait will finally be over on December 20, 2023, when the first two episodes of "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" premiere on Disney+.
Who is in the teen cast of Percy Jackson and the Olympians?
Rick Riordan's excitement alone was more than enough reason for fans to get pumped, but that doesn't mean folks aren't on the edge of their seat every time a new bit of casting is announced. The film series messed the saga up from the very start by aging up its main characters, but thankfully, the Disney+ series won't make the same mistake.
"The Adam Project" star Walker Scobell has been cast as the series lead, the eponymous demigod who quickly proves himself courageous, kind-hearted and a force to be reckoned with. Despite all his strengths, Percy has a tendency to land himself in trouble — he's impulsive and occasionally reckless so while he's certainly willing to charge into dangerous situations, he can't do it alone.
Scobell is joined by Leah Sava Jeffries ("Empire," "REL") and Aryan Simhadri ("Spin," "Cheaper By The Dozen") as Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood, respectively. Annabeth is a true daughter of Athena (the Greek goddess of wisdom and war), who spent years training at the demigod training facility Camp Half-Blood. Meanwhile, Grover is Percy's best friend who reveals himself to be a satyr (half boy and half goat).
These three aren't the only demigods at the center of this story: Dior Goodjohn is set to star as Clarisse La Rue, a child of Ares (God of war) and a competitive fighter who initially clashes with Percy. Charlie Bushnell will star as Luke Castellan, the counselor of the Hermes cabin and "the undisputed coolest kid on the block." The series will also star Olivia Morton as Nancy Bobofit, a loud, proud teacher's pet who picks on Percy.
Who play the gods, monsters, and parents in Percy Jackson and the Olympians?
Even though this series 99% about chaotic children in perilous danger, adults are occasionally a factor. Jason Mantzoukas will star as the Greek god Dionysus, aka Mr. D., the begrudging head of Camp Half-Blood. Glynn Turman will play Chiron, a centaur and father figure to Percy, while Megan Mullally will play the Fury called Alecto. "Euphoria" actor Suzanne Cryer will appear as the monster Echidna, while Jessica Parker Kennedy ("The Flash") is set to play Medusa. Percy's cruel stepfather, Gabe, will be played by Timm Sharp, and his mother, Sally, will be played by Virginia Kull. Judging by a post he shared on Twitter, "Monk" alum Jason Gray-Stanford also has an undisclosed role in the show.
The series also pulled out all the stops to fill in Mount Olympus with an incredible slate of actors. The late, great Lance Reddick filmed his role as Zeus before passing away earlier this year. The rest of the "big three" will be rounded out with Toby Stephens ("Die Another Day") as Percy's dad, Posiedon, and Jay Duplass ("Transparent") as Hades. Meanwhile, WWE wrestler The Edge, aka Adam Copeland, will play the God of War Ares, while "Hamilton" writer and star Lin Manuel Miranda is set to play Hermes. "Psych" alum Timothy Omundson will also be there, taking up the mantle of Hephaestus.
What are the plot details of Percy Jackson and the Olympians?
"Percy Jackson and the Olympians" will be your typical coming-of-age story, but with the addition of magic, monsters, and Gods terrorizing a very resilient group of teenagers. If the series adapts a single book per season, then the first will center around the events of "Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief," following 12-year-old demigod Percy Jackson on a dangerous quest to save the world, soon after learning that his father is Poseidon, the Greek God of the seas.
Just as Percy is coming to terms with his new reality — meeting fellow demigods and learning to defend himself from dangerous mythological monsters — the sky God Zeus accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt. This kickstarts Percy's adventure to clear his name and restore order to Olympus. Along the way, he meets Gods, famed heroes, their deadly villains, and other figures from myths and legends. Disney+ has provided the following logline:
The series follows a 12-year-old boy who learns he is a demigod. He's just coming to terms with his newfound supernatural powers when the sky god Zeus accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt. Now, Percy must trek across America to find it and restore order to Olympus.
Does Percy Jackson and the Olympians have a trailer?
The first teaser for "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" dropped last year and was an instant hit with fans of the book series. The 52-second promo doesn't tell newcomers too much about the show's plot, but it quotes "The Lightning Thief" verbatim as clips show Percy walking into Camp Half-Blood clad in the same orange shirt all his fellow campers are known to wear. As he approaches an imposing building, he warns anyone listening who might be a "half-blood" (i.e. demigod) to ignore the truth in order to stay safe from the wrath of gods and monsters. "Believe whatever lie your mom or dad told you about your birth," Percy says in voiceover. "Because once you know what you are, they'll sense it too, and they'll come for you."
In August of 2023, Disney+ released a 30-second promo featuring more glimpses of the show's fantastical landscapes, and more importantly, the announcement that the series will debut on the platform on December 20, 2023. Another teaser arrived in September, with a wealth of new looks at the show's magical settings and some narration from Percy about his normal life getting turned upside-down. November brought a full two-minute trailer in anticipation of the two-episode premiere, offering the best looks yet at the menagerie of creatures that await, and an introduction to Percy's mother Sally, his centaur mentor Chiron, and his allies Annabeth and Grover. There's even a brief look at Lin-Manuel Miranda's guest starring role as Hermes.
Who is the director of Percy Jackson and the Olympians?
James Bobin, director of "Dora and the Lost City of Gold," directs the first two episodes of this upcoming adaptation. Given the unexpectedly fun adventure that Dora's live-action adaptation turned out to be, it's safe to say that Percy's story is in very good hands.
Bobin is also the director behind the award-winning and much-beloved comedy "The Muppets," and its sequel, "Muppets Most Wanted," in addition to also executive producing and directing the pilot for another Disney+ original, "The Mysterious Benedict Society."
Other season 1 directors reportedly include Jet Wilkinson, who has directed fan-favorite shows like "Warrior Nun," "First Kill," and "Jessica Jones," and Anders Engstrom, whose credits include the Prime Video adaptation of "Hanna" and the Tom Hardy show "Taboo." Rick Riordan confirmed on his website that Wilkinson worked on episodes 5 and 6 while Engstrom is credited on episodes 3 and 4.
Who are the writers and producers of Percy Jackson and the Olympians?
The show features a pilot script penned by Riordan and Jonathan Steinberg, a longtime TV writer known for work on "Jericho," "Black Sails," and 2022's "The Old Man." Riordan pitched a "Percy Jackson" show to Disney+ directly, and tells Entertainment Weekly that his sixth Percy Jackson book was written as a result of delving back into the series for the show. "It felt like the right thing to do to celebrate Percy Jackson coming home to a new adaptation," he explained.
Producers on the upcoming series include Bobin, Riordan, Steinberg, Dan Shotz, Rebecca Riordan, Bert Salke, Monica Owusu-Breen, Jim Rowe, Anders Engström, Jet Wilkinson, and Gotham Group's Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, and D.J. Goldberg.
What is the source material for Percy Jackson and the Olympians?
If you can't wait for "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" to hit Disney+, the good news is that there's a whole book series you can burn through in the meantime. I haven't read the books since I was younger, but have it on good authority from several friends that they do, in fact, hold up if you reread them as an adult. The first five books beginning with "The Lightning Thief" constitute the original run of the Percy Jackson story, while "The Heroes of Olympus" and "The Trials of Apollo" series serve as sequels that include several of the same characters.
You can stick with just the "Percy Jackson & The Olympians" series if you want to get a feel for the TV show (Season 1 will likely cover just "The Lightning Thief"), but if you want to keep going, there are now 15 novels set in this world, plus some graphic novels and supplementary books. The book that Riordan was inspired to write while pitching the TV show, "The Chalice of the Gods," a standalone novel that hit shelves on September 26, 2023.