Huzzah, Percy Jackson fans! A Disney Plus series is in the making

This is it, people. This is the last shot for Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson to get the adaptation it deserves. And who better to create a solid adaptation than Disney?

As a loyal bookworm and previously Percy Jackson-obsessed-human, I had to research this project. Like most of Riordan’s fans, I was astonished and upset when I saw the movie adaptation 10 years ago in the theaters. Those are two hours I’ll never get back. For those of you who weren’t obsessed with the book series, let me break it down for you. The movie was far from an adaptation of those beloved books. The storyline was so far from “The Lightning Thief,” it was a separate story altogether. Riordan didn’t write the script and had very little involvement in the movie’s production. On top of that, the casting was all wrong. Sure, Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario and their castmates are great actors, but they weren’t right for the parts. In “The Lightning Thief,” Percy was 12 years old, but when Lerman played Percy he was 17. In short, a lot of things were done wrong in that film; it certainly wasn’t the adaptation fans were looking for. Thus, my anxious research begins.

There are so many things going for new Percy Jackson series on Disney+. First of all, Rick Riordan is writing the script, which means he has way more control over the adaptation because … he’s writing it. That’s right, cue the happy dance! If anyone can give Percy his sass and Annabeth her intelligence, it’s Riordan.

Finally, I still have not seen the movies, and don't plan on ever doing so. I judge them from having read the scripts, because I care most about the story. I certainly have nothing against the very talented actors. Not their fault. I'm just sorry they got dragged into that mess.

— Rick Riordan (@rickriordan) June 8, 2020

But that’s not all. Riordan has expressed the cast age will reflect the age of their characters. In other words, Percy will be played by a 12-year-old boy. It looks like Disney is aiming for a Harry Potter cast that “grows with the series” vibe and I hope everything works out that way.

Finally, because Riordan is writing the series adaptation, he has suggested that season one will be dedicated to the first book: “The Lightning Thief.” So, reading between the lines, there could potentially be five seasons of Percy Jackson episodes! If the series is successful, we may be seeing a “Heroes of Olympus” adaptation.

Thanks, everyone, for your enthusiasm about #PercyJacksonDisneyPlus! We're excited too! There won't be any further info we can share for a while (on casting, auditioning, or anything like that) because it's WAY too early. But when we can share more, we will post!

— Rick Riordan (@rickriordan) May 18, 2020

Needless to say, I’m officially pumped. However, I have to implore those of you who simply watched the Percy Jackson movie 10 years ago: do yourselves a favor and read those books! Now is the time to be reading anyways. The “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” books are not difficult reads either, so you don’t have to worry about feeling stupid for Googling word definitions as you read. It’s fast-paced and so entertaining. The characters Riordan crafts are incredibly dense and endearing. Not to mention the books have a great deal of Greek mythology in them and, as I recall, it’s fairly accurate. Those books are the reason I whooped the entire sixth grade on our mythology unit. So, get reading!

After all, the script for the series is in progress, so you have time to read the whole series before watching Percy Jackson’s first season on Disney+.

*Graphic by Rosie Davis

Emily White is a junior studying English and broadcast journalism. She is currently serving as the senior writer for the Lifestyles section of the Statesman.

—emily.white@aggiemail.usu.edu