Disney+ has everything ready for the long-awaited premiere ofPercy Jackson and the Olympians, the series adaptation of the successful youth saga written by Rick Riordan, which arrives at the streaming platform on December 20. Back in 2010, the director of the first twoHarry Pottermovies, Chris Columbus, attempted to bring Riordan’s story to the big screen. Starring Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario and Brandon T. Jackson, the first film performed pretty well at the box office, but received strong criticism from fans. In 2013, Thor Freudenthal directed the sequel, which was also the victim of negative comments.
For this reason, in 2020, the House of Mouse announced that they were developing a live-action series based on the literary saga, looking to bring the enormous fandom behind the books to their streaming platform and also introduce the story to a new audience.
Entertainment Weeklyreleased on Monday a new series of images that show Disney+ commitment on making a faithful adaptation. You can check out the new images fromPercy Jackson and the Olympiansbelow:
Percy Jacksonfollows the story of a young man who discovers that he is not just a regular boy that goes to school and deals with the usual conflicts of being an adolescent, since he is the son of Poseidon. To learn how to use his abilities inherited from the God of the Sea, he must attend Camp Half-Blood, where he will be trained as a warrior. Together with his best friend Grover, a satyr who’s been in disguised to protect him and Annabeth Chase, the daughter of Athena, Percy will live some amazing adventures, facing fierce mythological creatures and other dangerous threats, while discovering the secrets of his identity.
Percy Jackson and the Olympiansmeanwhile will follow the titular 12-year-old demigod after he is accused by the Greek god Zeusof stealing his thunderbolt.
Related:Rick Riodan Defends Disney’s Percy Jackson Series' Diverse Casting Choices
What Makes the Percy Jackson Series Different from the Movies?
The fact that creator Riordan has collaborated directly in writing the scripts for the series is the first point that suggests there will be a big difference between the series and thePercy Jacksonfilms. It is also what has given fans the security that the plots narrated in the books will be followed, something that did not happen with the films, which was the main reason for the poor reception of the previous adaptations.
But another very important detail is how enormous the world of thePercy Jacksonsaga is. As is the case withother major franchises such asHarry PotterorLord of the Rings, there is an overly complex mythology beyond the protagonist’s story, which is very difficult to cover in something as limited as a movie. So bringing thePercy Jacksonuniverse to television seems like a wise decision.
Percy Jackson and the Olympiansstars Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson, Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth Chase, Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood, Virginia Kull as Sally Jackson, Glynn Turman as Chiron, Jason Mantzoukas as Dionysus, Megan Mullally as Alecto, Timm Sharp as Gabe Ugliano, Dior Goodjohn as Clarisse La Rue, Charlie Bushnell as Luke Castellan, Adam Copeland as Ares, Jessica Parker Kennedy as Medusa, Lin-Manuel Miranda as Hermes, Jay Duplass as Hades, Timothy Omundson as Hephaestus, Lance Reddick as Zeus, and Toby Stephens as Poseidon.
Percy Jackson and the Olympiansis scheduled to premiere on July 18, 2025, on Disney+.
