Percy Jackson and the Olympians is the newest adaptation of the book series by Rick Riordan. Written from 2005 to 2023, the original series Percy Jackson and the Olympians is one of the best selling book series, with over 180 million copies sold. But this is not the first time the series has been adapted for film, as in 2010, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief was released to moderate reviews. It was then followed by Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters which received many more poor reviews than the first, and left a bad taste in the mouth of many Percy Jackson fans.
Percy Jackson fans have long awaited the return of the series to the screen, and they have not been disappointed, with the five episodes currently released receiving many positive reviews. The show has stayed true to the source material as Riordan was very involved with production of the show, making sure it lived up to his original vision.
Expanding the Percy Jackson series, the seventh book in the series Wrath of the Triple Goddess is set to release on September 24, 2024, adding to the Percy Jackson universe of 17 books. The
show follows a 12 year old demigod Percy Jackson, a son of Poseidon, as he quests after Zeus’s stolen “Master Bolt” in order to save Olympus from war, and rescue his mother from the underworld. With him are Annabeth Chase, a daughter of Athena, and Grover Underwood, a satyr (forest spirit) and Percy’s best friend.
During their journey to the underworld, located in Los Angeles, Percy and his friends face many threats including multiple Furies, Medusa, and many famous figures from Greek mythology. One of the series’s greatest strengths is its appeal to all ages, reintroducing Greek myths and legends to the newer generations.
The modern setting is one of the shows greatest strengths, with the show set in the mid 2000’s, the contrast between the ancient Greek monsters and the modern technology makes the show something wholly original, and interesting to watch. One of the factors contributing to the show’s success is its incredible visual effects, making the characters of Greek mythology look incredibly realistic.
The casting for the show is another highlight with Walker Scobell bringing the character of Percy to life. Scobell is incredibly funny as Percy, adding much of the humor in the series alongside his co-stars, Leah Sava Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri as Annabeth and Grover, respectively.
Percy Jackson fans are sure to be appeased by this excellent interpretation of the books to the screen, and many are already hopeful for the announcement of a season 2, as Percy’s story is far from over. Percy Jackson and the Olympians is an excellent addition to the ever expanding universe of ‘Percy Jackson’.
