- Nasima Akter
“Percy Jackson And The Olympians” Trailer Release
Rick Riordan's popular Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is set to make its debut on Disney+ later this year, much to the excitement of fans. In early 2022, Riordan himself shared the news, saying, "The wait is over, demigods! I am thrilled to be the first to tell you that Percy Jackson and the Olympians is really, truly, and for sure coming to your screens."
The first book in the series, "The Lightning Thief," follows the journey of 12-year-old Percy, who discovers that he is a demigod, a being that is half-human and half-god. He is then sent to Camp Half-Blood, a place for children of Olympian gods. Trouble arises when Percy is accused by Zeus of stealing his lightning bolt, and he embarks on a quest with his friends Grover, a satyr, and Annabeth, another demigod, to find the stolen item and return it to prevent a catastrophe. It's worth noting that the first two Percy Jackson books were previously adapted into feature films with Logan Lerman playing the role of Percy.
Rick Riordan, the author of Percy Jackson, collaborated with Jon Steinberg to co-write the pilot episode of the series. The pilot was directed by James Bobin. All three, Riordan, Steinberg, and Bobin, also serve as executive producers on the project. They are joined by executive producers Dan Shotz, Bert Salke, Monica Owusu-Breen, Jim Rowe, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, D.J. Goldberg, and Rick Riordan's wife, Rebecca Riordan, in bringing the series to life.
The cast of the Percy Jackson series includes Walker Scobell in the titular role as Percy Jackson, Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth Chase, and Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood. The ensemble cast also features Adam Copeland, Suzanne Cryer, and Jessica Parker Kennedy. Additionally, Virginia Kull, Glynn Turman, Jason Mantzoukas, Megan Mullally, Timm Sharp, Dior Goodjohn, Charlie Bushnell, Olivea Morton, Jay Duplass, Lance Reddick, and Timothy Omundson are part of the cast.
Production for the Percy Jackson series commenced in May 2022 and concluded in February 2023. Rick Riordan expressed his excitement about the series in a blog post, stating, "If you're a fan of the books or even if you just love a good adventure, you are going to love this show. We still have months and months of post-production work to do, but the team is wrapping up in Vancouver with a sense of pride and accomplishment." Fans can anticipate the series with great enthusiasm as it progresses through the post-production phase.
"With Rick Riordan, Jon Steinberg and Dan Shotz leading our creative team, we’re deep into creating a compelling TV series worthy of the heroic mythological characters that millions of Percy Jackson readers know are well-worth caring about, and we’re eager to invite Disney+ audiences into stories that are true to the blockbuster franchise and full of anticipation, humor, surprise, and mystery," Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television, said when the series was first announced.
Fans of Percy Jackson can mark their calendars because a month earlier, it was announced that the first two episodes of the series will be available on Disney+ starting on December 20, 2023. Afterward, the remaining episodes of the season will be released weekly, providing viewers with a steady dose of the beloved demigod's adventures.
