Percy Jackson and the Olympians is easily one of the most anticipated shows of the year: here are 9 reasons to be excited about it!
Percy Jackson and the Olympians will premiere on Disney+ on December 20 and I could not be more excited to see one of the book series I grew up with on the screen: these are just 9 of the many reasons to be excited for the upcoming series. As a long-time fan of the Percy Jackson universe, it feels like I have been waiting to watch Percy Jackson and the Olympians ever since it was announced, which has given me time to revisit my love for the franchise and build my excitement for the new adaptation.
1. The Premise
The very premise of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is what sets it apart from many other media of the same genre and literary products of the time. While many other franchises present us with a magical protagonist in a seemingly normal world, the Percy Jackson universe follows young demigods who must face mythical dangers and quest and descend directly from the Greek gods in the 21st century. It’s a mixture of the modern world and Ancient Greek myths that works really well.
2. The Return of YA
Ten years ago, we got the second instalment of both the Percy Jackson and the Hunger Games saga. Now, in 2023, we are witnessing a resurgence of both franchises in different ways that will surely make their audience feel like we are back in 2013. Following Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in November 2023, Percy Jackson and the Olympians also marks the return of a beloved young adult series to our screens that has been missing for around 10 years.
3. A Second Chance at Adaptation
But this is not the first time the best-selling Percy Jackson books are being adapted for the screen. Some might remember the name Percy Jackson from the two movie adaptations that were made in the early 2010s, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief in 2010 and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters in 2013. Neither of those was received well by Percy Jackson fans due to the many changes that were made to the characters and events of the books. This time, however, we are getting a second chance at seeing a faithful adaptation on the screen, particularly because the author, Rick Riordan, is now heavily involved in the project as a screenwriter and producer.
4. Greek Mythology
As mentioned, much of Percy Jackson and the Olympians will rely on Greek mythology, as the audience will get to see characters from the classic myth come to life in a modern setting. With the recent trends of Greek mythology retelling that have taken over Booktok and the publishing world, there truly is no better time than now to revisit the Percy Jackson universe and explore Rick Riordan’s own adaptation of classical Greek myths many of us know and love.
5. A Whole New World
From the teaser trailer that was released earlier this year, it is already evident how Percy Jackson and the Olympians is going to transport us to a new world made of monsters, Greek gods, and adventure. The trailer already teases how we can expect impressive visuals from this show already with Camp Half-blood looking even better than what I could have ever pictured in my head while reading the books. I cannot wait to discover every character that makes up Percy’s world and find a home in the Camp Half-blood all over again
6. The Cast
Percy Jackson and the Olympians seems to be borrowing a formula we have seen succeed before, in franchises like Harry Potter: featuring a cast of mostly newcomers for the kids roles and more established names for the adults, a lot of whom make up the ensemble of Greek gods. For example, Virginia Kull will play Sally Jackson, Percy’s mother, and Lin Manuel Miranda will appear in the Disney+ show as a guest to portray Hermes, the messenger of the gods.
7. The Main Trio
The main trio has always been the heart of Percy Jackson as they show us the true value of friendship. As we can hear Chiron (Glynn Turman) say in the trailer for Percy Jackson and the Olympians, “a quest is always undertaken by three demigods.” And so Percy (Walker Scobell) will be accompanied by Annabeth Chase (Leah Sava Jeffries), daughter of Athena, and Grover Underwood (Aryan Simhadri), Percy’s best friend. The casting for the main trio already seems perfect as the three actors embody their respective characters very well.
8. A Story for Every Kid
Despite featuring stories about heroes and gods, the very inspiration behind Percy Jackson and the Olympians comes from everyday people whose lives may not be perfect but are still worth telling. Rick Riordan’s inspiration for writing the books and creating his protagonist was his son who, just like Percy, had trouble reading and focusing in the classroom. Ultimately, Percy Jackson is a story for all the kids who, like the protagonist of our story, did not fit in in school and struggled to see themselves be the heroes of their own stories.
9. The Music
While we do not know much about the music that will be used in the series, the use of “Riptide” by Vance Joy in the trailer for the show is promising to say the least. Ever since the Percy Jackson books started becoming popular, this song has been associated with the entire song. Not only did “Riptide” come out in 2013, when Percy Jackson was at the height of its popularity, but it also shares the name with Percy’s iconic sword. With one song already fitting the saga so well, we can only imagine what else Percy Jackson and the Olympians has in store for us musically.
With every new promo or shot we see of the upcoming series, the excitement for this show seems to build more and more: whether you are a fan of the book series or not, we all can’t wait to join Percy and his friend on an incredible quest across the United States at the end of December. And thankfully, now the wait for Percy Jackson and the Olympians is almost over.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians debuts December 20, 2023 on Disney+ with a two-episode premiere, followed by new episodes weekly.
