The Percy Jackson series is officially a go at Disney+. While there have been rumblings of the series making headlines for months, Disney+ has just officially revealed in a new video that they’ve given a series order to Percy Jackson and the Olympians with plans to start production this summer. Casting is now underway, so while no actors are currently attached, we may be hearing some announcements in the near future as the project comes together with its official greenlight.
Rick Riordan, who wrote the original Percy Jackson books, is developing the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series with Join Steinberg (FX on Hulu’s The Old Man). They’ll be writing the pilot episode with James Bobin (The Mysterious Benedict Society) on board to direct. Riordan, Steinberg, and Bobin are all serving as executive producers as well. Steinberg is overseeing with producing partner Dan Shotz; the latter joins the trio in executive producing with Rebecca Riordan, Bert Salke, Monica Owusu-Breen, Jim Rowe, and Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, and D.J. Goldberg.
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“The wait is over,” Rick Riordan said in a video confirming the news of the series. “I am thrilled to be the first to tell you that Percy Jackson and the Olympians is really, truly, and for sure coming to your screens. The smart folks at Disney+ have given us the green light. And the best part is James Bobin is on board as our pilot director. James is a terrific person and also directed the pilot for Disney+’s The Mysterious Benedict Society, which I loved. James knows the Percy Jackson books well. His kids are fans. So, we’re in great hands.”
Riordan adds: “Thanks to all of you for your excitement about the series. It’s going to be great.”
Per Deadline, Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television, said in a statement, “With Rick Riordan, Jon Steinberg and Dan Shotz leading our creative team, we’re deep into creating a compelling TV series worthy of the heroic mythological characters that millions of Percy Jackson readers know are well-worth caring about, and we’re eager to invite Disney+ audiences into stories that are true to the blockbuster franchise and full of anticipation, humor, surprise, and mystery.”
20th Television President Karey Burke added, “Bringing Rick Riordan’s brilliant Percy Jackson books to Disney+ as a television series has been a mission for so many of us at this company as well as for Rick himself, and Jon, Dan, James and the excellent team they have assembled have proven to be the perfect collaborators. Thanks to our friends at Disney Branded Television led by Ayo, and Disney Streaming led by Michael, this will be an adaptation for the ages, with all the excitement, action and mythology fans of the books expect and love.”
Related: Percy Jackson Author Shares TV Show Update, Promising a First-Rate Disney+ Experience
Rick Riordan Promises the Series Will Top the Percy Jackson Films
Disney
The first two Percy Jackson books were previously adapted into feature films released in 2010 and 2013. They were very successful at the box office, though they didn’t strike as well with critics. A planned third movie was later canceled, eventually leading to this fresh approach to developing a TV series. Riordan never even bothered to watch those films based on their screenplays.
“I still have not seen the movies, and don’t plan on ever doing so,” Riordan previously said on Twitter. “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. To me, it’s my life’s work going through a meat grinder when I pleaded with them not to do it. So yeah. But it’s fine. All fine. We’re gonna fix it soon.”
A release date hasn’t yet been announced for Percy Jackson and the Olympians at Disney+.
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