Disney+'s Percy Jackson Casts Former WWE Champion Edge as Ares

Percy Jackson and the Olympians has found its god of war. As reported by Variety, WWE Hall of Famer Adam "Edge" Copeland has been tapped to portray Ares in the serialized adaptation of Rick Riordan's best-selling novels. The role is considered a "recurring guest star." Percy Jackson's iteration of the famous Greek god is described as "handsome in a wicked way and arrogant, despite not always being the sharpest tool in the shed. He loves conflict and acts as an agent of chaos wherever he goes." This will be one of Edge's first Hollywood projects since he returned to WWE in January 2020.

Edge joins a cast that includes Walker Scobell (Percy Jackson), Leah Jeffries (Annabeth Chase), Aryan Simhadri (Grover Underwood), and others. He is the second of 12 Olympians to have been cast, alongside Jason Mantzoukas who is portraying the god of wine, Dionysus.

In The Lightning Thief, the first of the Percy Jackson novels and the book that Season 1 is based on, Ares is one of the story's primary antagonists. The god of war interferes with Percy's quest by sending him on a side mission to retrieve his shield, which eventually turns everything upside down. In the larger Percy Jackson universe, Ares serves as an ally and also transforms into his Roman counterpart, Mars.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians is currently in the back half of its production. The series has filmed roughly up to Chapter 16 of The Lightning Thief, leaving just six chapters left to shoot. While the show has not necessarily filmed in chronological order, that leaves pages that include adventures to both Olympus and the Underworld, as well as a climactic confrontation with the aforementioned Ares.

"I knew Adam was our Ares as soon as I saw his audition tape. He absolutely nailed it," Riordan wrote regarding Edge's casting. "This guy IS Ares the way I imagined him in the Percy Jackson series. He obviously knew the part, loved it, and was having WAY too much fun being the god of war. He even got a Harley-Davidson motorcycle so he could practice riding and get into character. That is commitment! Can't wait to see him go mano a mano with Percy Jackson? Me neither!"

Percy Jackson is expected to release on Disney+ in 2024.