Disney is always looking for new franchises that will continue to expand the studio’s domination over the film and general entertainment industries. With the likes of bothStar Warsand the Marvel Cinematic Universe under their belt, Disney already has a strong grip on the box office. However, with the streaming wars now in full effect, Disney is also looking to increase viewership on their streaming service, Disney+. Looking ahead, it seems that the latest genre that Disney is looking to dominate is that of young adult fantasy.
Some of the most successful series and films, includingHarry PotterandThe Hunger Games,have belonged to the YA fantasy genre. Disney is now hoping that the next YA phenomenon will come from them, as they have already announced several new YA fantasy series that will be adapted into television shows for Disney+. One of the most anticipated series is, without a doubt, the new adaptation ofPercy Jackson and the Olympians.ThePercy Jacksonbooks have already had two failed film adaptations before, but there is still plenty of potential left in this series. Here’s howthe new showcould become Disney’s next big hit.
Update June 20, 2025: This article has been updated by Jessica Peerez with more information on whyPercy Jackson and The Olympianscould become Disney’s next big hit.
Learning From Past Mistakes
The twoPercy Jacksonmovies that were released in the early 2010s were pretty massive misfires for a number of reasons. One of the biggest is that they failed to connect with the franchise’s core audience. Even the die-hard fans of the books were not impressed with the two theatrical outings. Reactions to 2010’sThe Lightning Thiefwere pretty mixed, but by the time the second film,Sea of Monsters,came around in 2013, fans of the books had very little love left for the movies. While there was a lot of praise for Logan Lerman’s casting in the lead role of Percy, the films themselves utterly failed at capturing any of the magic from the novels they are based on.
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The disappointment from fans regarding the films translated into poor box office receipts, which is why the series of movies was never completed. However, the films were such shoddy adaptations of the source material that nobody really wanted to see them completed anyway. WhileThe Lightning Thiefat least tried to follow the outline of its book,Sea of Monsterswent all over the place before eventually stealing the ending of the fourth book and trying to cram it into the second movie. The results were not great. Disney,learning from past mistakes, has opted to have the input of the author of the novels in the production process.
The Author of the Novels is More Involved
One of the biggest pros for Disney+‘sPercy Jacksonseries is that the author of the novels, Rick Riordan, is directly involved in the production of the series. The film adaptations ofThe Lightning ThiefandSea of Monstershave been largely disowned by both fans of the books and even the series’ author, Rick Riordan. After Disney announced the new series, with Riordan on board as a writer and producer,the author denounced the film adaptationson Twitter by saying they were “my life’s work going through a meat grinder” before following up with “We’re gonna fix it soon.” Riordan had very little to do with the film adaptations of his books, so his inclusion in the new series has many fans optimistic that it will lead to a more faithful adaptation.
Riordan has already praised Disney’sPercy Jackson.Commenting on the performance by Walker Scobell, who will be taking on the lead role of Percy Jackson in the series,Riordan told Entertainment Weeklyin February 2023:
“Oh my gosh. Walker’s Percy is just totally spot-on…Everybody says this about him when they watch him perform: This kid is a superstar. The screen loves him, and he is so good and so natural and so dedicated at everything. It really is stunning, and he’s a huge megafan of the books.”
Tapping Into a Passionate Fanbase
Another reason thatPercy Jacksoncould become Disney’s next big hit is the fact that Disney is tapping into a very passionate fanbase. Fans ofPercy Jackson and the Olympiansare dedicated. They love the characters and stories of that universe. When the first two films were released, it was only a few years after the books had initially exploded in popularity. The stories were fresh in the audiences’ minds, and so they were much more critical when they were not translated well to the screen. The Disney+Percy Jacksonseries has an added benefit that the original movies did not have: nostalgia.
The original five books were released between 2005 and 2009 (is anyone else astounded by the realization thatThe Lightning Thiefis almost 20 years old?). The kids who grew up reading and loving the series are adults now, and many of them have maintained a love for the series. For better or worse,nostalgia has become a key factorin the success of so many Hollywood franchises these days. Since thePercy Jacksonbooks have managed to retain long-term love and adoration from its fanbase, the series already has its foot in the door and has a better chance of becoming a hit if it is done right.
Multiple Seasons and Series
The show could also become a hit as Disney has enough source material to allow the series to stretch into multiple seasons and potentially even other shows. The world of thePercy Jacksonseries is wide, with many different characters, stories, and mythologies all existing within the same space. Assuming the series adapts approximately one book per season, then thePercy Jacksonshow is already set and ready to go for five full seasons. However, that is just the beginning of how the universe could continue.
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In the years since the final book in thePercy Jacksonseries,The Last Olympian, was released, there have been many new expansions to that universe. There have been two separate sequel series that have continued the Greek mythology-inspired stories. The first,Heroes of Olympus,was followed by a second, titledThe Trials of Apollo.Though Percy Jackson is not the central protagonist in either, he is still a key character in both series. So, if the newPercy Jacksonseries is a smash hit, then the groundwork is already laid for the franchise to continue for years to come. Walker Scobell could have a very bright future ahead of him in the role.
At the time of writing, Disney has released threeteaser trailersforPercy Jackson and The Olympians,giving eager fans glimpses into the series. The first trailer was released in September 2022, followed by another on July 22, 2025, and the most recent on August 02, 2025. Season 1 is set to premiere on Disney+ on July 19, 2025 and could become the holiday hit of the season that families watch together which could then lead to a new yearly tradition for Disney+ for years to come.
