After two polarizing film installments, the Percy Jackson franchise is about to be adapted once again, with a live-action series poised to debut on Disney+. Fans of the Rick Riordan fantasy novels have been eagerly awaiting every update surrounding the project — and a new blog post from Riordan reveals a major clue. On Wednesday, Riordan posted about visiting Los Angeles for work on Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and shared details about the latest pre-production updates. Among them was a hint that filming for the television series will occur in Vancouver “this summer”, and that prep work is already underway on the show’s sets and costumes. Riordan also revealed that he got to see in-person chemistry read auditions for the show’s main stars.
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“This means we brought together different combinations of young actors we had identified as interesting candidates for the roles of Percy, Annabeth and Grover, and had them read through scenes together to see how they interacted,” Riordan explained. “It was informative and exciting, and though we have come to no decisions yet, the process is moving along well. Seeing these actors taking on the roles in person made me appreciate once again just how talented and capable middle school kids can be when given a chance to shine. They were all amazing.”
Riordan has spoken candidly about the process of adapting the series for Disney+, and has indicated that it will be worth the wait for fans.
“Having everyone together to align our visions for the show was extremely helpful, and I think a lot of confusion was resolved (speaking for my own confused self, anyway!). The good news is: the leadership is “all in,” as they put it, about making this show and doing it right. A lot of them have kids who have grown up with Percy Jackson, too, so they get it,” Riordan revealed last year. “They get that there are millions and millions of you out there who are waiting excitedly to see Percy Jackson come to life in a new way. We felt supported and heard, and I am more confident than ever that this show is moving forward as it needs to. You all have made a difference. You always do. Showing up on social media, sharing your excitement for the show: Disney sees you. They have heard you and they want to do right by you Percy fans. That, for me, is priority one, so I am happy!”
What do you think of the latest update surrounding the Percy Jackson Disney+ series? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!