The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series comes from a modern classic fantasy novel series by Rick Riordan and it's getting its very own series debut on Disney Plus! Here is everything you need to know from the release date, cast updates, plot theories, and trailers.
Initially published in 2005, the series tells the story of a 12-year-old boy who finds out that his father is one of the elder Greek gods - Poseidon.
He then embarks on a journey with Grover Underwood (a satyr) and Annabeth Chase, the daughter of Athena.
In May 2020, Disney+ announced that they would finally be working with Riordan to adapt the fantasy novel for television.
With Riordan confirming his involvement in the highly anticipated project, now is the best time to brush up on our Greek and unsheath pens (yes, pens) as we take our first steps to Camp Half-Blood.
Percy Jackson Crew: Who Will Work on Percy Jackson in Disney+?
Apart from confirming that production for the Percy Jackson series has begun in January 2022, Riordan has shared one more important detail: James Bobin has signed on to direct the first season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, with Jonathon Steinberg and Dan Shotz as the series showrunners.
Some of Bobbin's most notable works include writing for Muppets Most Wanted. He also directed The Mysterious Benedict Society for Disney+ and Alice Through the Looking Glass.
He has been the most speculated director for the series since his collaboration with Riordan was announced in a blog post.
Rick Riordan will also be more involved in the production as executive producer and co-writer alongside John Steinberg. Because Riordan took a more active role, fans anticipate an adaptation that stays true to the books, the characters, and the storyline.
Anders Engstrom and Jet Wilkinson helmed two episodes each, with the show written by Monica Owusu-Breen, Daphne Olive, Stewart Strandberg, Zoe Neary, Joe Tracz, and Xavier Stiles.
Additionally, Steinberg, Shotz, Bobin, Riordan, Engstrom, Wilkinson, and Owusu-Breen are set to executive produce the show alongside Rebecca Riordan, Bert Salke, Jim Rowe, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, and D.J. Goldberg.
Percy Jackson Cast: Who Will Play the Characters in Percy Jackson in Disney+?
The first major goal of the casting call for Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is who they're planning to depict the titular leading role as Poseidon's half-blood son, Percy.
Disney Plus announced last year that The Adam Project's star Walker Scobell was cast as Percy himself.
Scobell debuted in The Adam Project, a Netflix film where he starred opposite big names in the industry, such as Ryan Reynolds, Zoe Saldaña, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner, and Catherine Keener. In this film, Scobell plays the younger self of a time-traveling pilot (Reynolds) who journeys back to the past to save the future.
Scobell is a big fan of the series, having read all the books up to the Trials of Apollo.
Grover and Annabeth
The complete casting for the trio was announced on May 5, 2022, with Aryan Simhadri playing Grover and Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth.
However, some fans may have qualms about the casting choice for Annabeth. On May 10, Rick Riordan stood firm on his casting choice. He wrote:
The response to the casting of Leah has been overwhelmingly positive and joyous, as it should be. Leah brings so much energy and enthusiasm to this role, so much of Annabeth’s strength. She will be a role model for new generations of girls who will see in her the kind of hero they want to be.
If you have a problem with this casting, however, take it up with me. You have no one else to blame. Whatever else you take from this post, we should be able to agree that bullying and harassing a child online is inexcusably wrong. As strong as Leah is, as much as we have discussed the potential for this kind of reaction and the intense pressure this role will bring, the negative comments she has received online are out of line. They need to stop. Now.
Is Logan Lerman Playing Poseidon in the Series?
Unfortunately, as much as fans have been wishing to see Logan Lerman play a part in Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the actor previously debunked rumors of ever joining the casting calls nor was he actually considered for any part.
Many were hoping that Lerman would be quite fitting to pay nostalgia a visit if he plays his old character's father. However, this wasn't the case, as he told Esquire:
"I don't think I'm old enough for [Percy Jackson and the Olympians series]! I wouldn't cast me in that role if I was part of the creative team. I don't know, these are all for hypotheticals, so I have no idea. I don't think I'm right for that anyways. I also just don't even know if it's interesting to me. But there's not a secret that's waiting to be announced or something like that.
"There are so many things I just don't know about that project, but what I do know is that Rick Riordan is doing it, and that's pretty cool for the fans of the Percy Jackson series. I'm excited for those fans to get that version of the story told and see what they do with this."
The actual actor playing the role of Poseidon will be Toby Stephens from the 2022 James Bond movie, Die Another Day and BBC's TV series, Jane Eyre.
Other Percy Jackson Cast Members
Sometime in June, additional cast members were confirmed. Dior Goodjohn (Head of the Class) will play Clarisse La Rue, Charlie Bushnell (Diary of a Future President) will play Luke Castellan, and Olivea Morton will make a guest appearance as Nancy Bobofit.
Meanwhile, here are the other supporting characters and Greek gods we're meeting when Percy Jackson and the Olympians debuts on Disney Plus:
- Virginia Kull as Sally Jackson (Percy's mom)
- Glynn Turman as the centaur, Chiron
- Timm Sharp as Gabe Ugaliano (Percy's stepdad)
- Lin-Manuel Miranda as Hermes the Messenger
- Megan Mullally as Alecto AKA Mrs. Dodds
- Jason Mantzoukas as Dionysus the God of Wine
- Adam Copeland as Ares the God of War
- Suzanne Cryer as Echidna
- Jessica Parker Kenney as Medusa
- Dior Goodjohn as Clarisse La Rue
- Jay Duplass as Hades the God of the Underworld
- Timothy Omundson as Hephaestus
- Lance Reddick as Zeus
Percy Jackson Plot: What Book/s Will the Percy Jackson and the Olympians Disney+ Series Be Based On?
WARNING: This part of the article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for what to expect in Percy Jackson and the Olympians' book and TV series, so read at your own risk!
The Disney+ series is set to be a direct adaption of the books by Rick Riordan, initially released in 2005 and published by Disney Hyperion.
The fantasy novels follow Perseus Jackson, aka Percy, as he saves the world from monsters and evil gods, Greek-style. The first series has five books, The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titans Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, and The Last Olympian.
The first installment of the TV series is presumed to follow the plot in The Lightning Thief. In this book, Percy learns about his father's true identity, who happens to be no other than Poseidon, after his uncle, Zeus, accused him of stealing his lightning.
After a series of obstacles and life-altering challenges, Percy finds himself in Camp Half-Blood, a camp run by the centaur Chiron who trains all the demigod children of the Greek gods (take note, Greek gods) to battle monsters and complete quests.
Percy is then forced to embark on a quest with Annabeth and Grover as they search for Zeus' lightning bolt and return it to its rightful place in Olympus.
Percy Jackson Episodes: How Many Episodes Will Be There?
In one of his blog posts, Riordan revealed that the first Percy Jackson series will have eight episodes. He said that the first four episodes are essentially complete while they are still working on the other four episodes.
Rick Riordan Has Plans for Multiple Seasons
Author Rick Riordan has multiple seasons in mind for the series. When he spoke with TheWrap, he said:
It’s going to be, hopefully, one season for every book, which gives us time to do justice to the entire story, as opposed to a movie where you have to make some cuts.
Percy Jackson Release Date: When Will Disney+ Release the Percy Jackson Series?
Back in 2020, when Rick Riordan was asked by fans about the potential release date for Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the author guessed it would take him two years to write the show.
Well, back in August this year, Percy Jackson and the Olympians' release date was confirmed to air on Disney Plus on December 20, 2023! While the episodes will be released every week, the first two episodes will drop on its premiere night.
When did Percy Jackson start filming?
The latest announcements show that Percy Jackson will start filming in June 2022. With this in mind, we can expect that it will still be some time before the first Percy Jackson series is released.
After presenting at D23, Riordan and the cast are back in Vancouver to continue filming for the series. in his blog post, Riordan commented on how overwhelmed he was with the support the series is gaining.
The reaction to the Percy Jackson trailer was incredible, both at the convention and online. And as I've said before, the really exciting thing is that this trailer is just the tiniest glimpse! Wait until you see what else we've got cooking...
When Did Percy Jackson Wrap Up Filming?
It looks like we will be visiting Camp Half-Blood earlier than expected!
The official Twitter account of the Percy Jackson series posted a short video showing series star Walker Scobell underwater.
Becky Riordan, Rick Riordan's wife, posted a Tweet on February 2, 2023, contemplating how many water scenes they had to shoot. However, she was quick to remind fans that completing filming is just the first step in a long journey before we even get to watch the first episode of the series. She tweets:
All the wishful thinking today! Wrap does NOT equal done. If only I had your enthusiasm and magical thinking I would wrap the housework and the tax prep!
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series Trailer: Where Can I Watch the Trailer for the Disney+ Series?
Disney released the official full trailer for Percy Jackson and the Olympians series on November 16, 2023, which you can check out below:
On September 20, we got a full-blown teaser of Percy Jackson and the Olympians narrating his monologue from the book series, which you can check out below:
Percy Jackson D23 Expo 2022 Teaser
The first teaser for the Percy Jackson series was released on September 11, 2022, as part of the presentation for the show. In the trailer, we see Percy taking his first steps into the world of becoming a demigod, as the voice-over recites the familiar lines that introduced us to the books.
Where to Watch: Where Can I Watch Percy Jackson and the Olympians?
Percy Jackson and the Olympians will be available exclusively on Disney+. There are other exciting series you can watch on Disney+ while you wait for the Percy Jackson reboot, though.
Percy Jackson raised a generation of aspiring demigods. We are more than ready to polish our celestial bronze and go on a quest with Percy, Annabeth, and Grover before going home to Camp Half-Blood.