by Taylor Rogers '24 on October 9, 2022
Portfolio Co-Editor

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Arts & Entertainment

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Disney+ Announces Upcoming Reboot of Percy Jackson

Growing up in the early 2000s, most children with an avid love for reading fell under two different categories: the Harry Potter superfans or the Percy Jackson die-hards. Both series reached massive success, inciting blockbuster movies that led to non-bookish children and adults also admiring the new wave of children’s movies. Each series exposed millions of kids to mystical, supernatural concepts they would come to love for years afterwards. Unlike the Harry Potter superfans, many who watched the Percy Jackson movies were disappointed, as the movies forgot many key aspects that were included in the author, Rick Riordan’s, work. The movies changed the ages of all the characters, missed iconic book lines, and added monsters that were not included in the books themselves. These movies were far from book-accurate, inciting criticism from the die-hard Percy Jackson fans. 

In May 2020, many fans found themselves celebrating, as Disney+ announced that it would be rebooting the botched movies into a show, which will be directed by author Rick Riordan himself. Riordan was able to directly help with the script, casting, and filming, allowing his story to be played out as close to the actual books as possible. In this adaptation, the show’s protagonists will be played by actual twelve-year-olds rather than young adults like the movie adaptation (Logan Lerman was 18 at the time he played Percy Jackson). People have begun to get sneak peeks at the casting for Disney+’s new show, as the official Instagram continues to tease the characters that shaped much of Gen Z’s childhood. All summer long, more and more about the show was revealed via Disney+’s Instagram account, as well as the show’s Instagram account, @percyseries.

On Sept. 10, the entire Percy Jackson fandom received a wonderful surprise from this Instagram account. The first full trailer for the renowned book series dropped, showing many favorite characters and giving a hint to what the series will entail. In this trailer, the series’ protagonist Percy Jackson states his famous line, “Look, I didn’t want to be a half-blood” (Riordan, The Lightning Thief, 1). The term “half-blood” in Percy Jackson refers to being a demigod, a part human and part divine creature. The series conveys the protagonist’s many struggles as a teenage demigod who constantly gets chased down by monsters. Percy’s intense battles with monsters, cherished friendships with supporting characters like Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood, and journeys at Camp Half-Blood were all briefly shown in the trailer, exciting many as they anxiously wait for yet another trailer. 

The Percy Jackson show has yet to drop a release date, leaving everyone in anticipation. Watching the trailer reassured many fans that Riordan’s directing choices and casting will definitely make for a strong show. Soon, Percy Jackson fans will be able to watch their favorite novel on their television screens and get to enjoy the mythological world that Riordan has created. Until then, they will definitely be rewatching the trailer until further information about the series is released!