Percy Jackson & the Olympians Officially Moving Forward at Disney+
Disney+ is officially moving forward with a new Percy Jackson streaming series, which is sure to be a comfort to franchise fans disappointed by the lack of news on Disney+ Day. Disney+ describes Percy Jackson and the Olympians as "an epic adventure series." According to Disney, the series is based on and "closely aligned" with Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson novels. Published by Disney Hyperion, more than 180 million Percy Jackson books are in print globally. Riordan and Jon Steinberg (Black Sails, FX's upcoming The Old Man) are writing the series' pilot episode. James Bobin (The Mysterious Benedict Society, Dora and the Lost City of Gold) is directing. Steinberg is also overseeing the series with producing partner Dan Shotz. Steinberg and Shotz serve as executive producers with Bobin, Rick Riordan, Rebecca Riordan, Bert Salke, Monica Owusu-Breen, Jim Rowe, and Gotham Group's Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, D.J. Goldberg. Casting is now underway for the Disney Branded Television series, produced by 20th Television. Riordan offered a video message confirming the news today.
Per Disney's official description, "Geared towards a general audience and especially tweens, teens, and young adults, the live action series tells the fantastical story of a 12-year-old modern demigod, Percy Jackson, who's just coming to terms with his newfound supernatural powers when the sky god Zeus accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt. Now Percy must trek across America to find it and restore order to Olympus."
Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television, said in a press release, "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."
Are you excited about the new Percy Jackson series? Let us know in the comments.