A Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is on the way at Disney+, with author Rick Riordan announcing the adaptation on social media in a minute-long video. “The wait is over, Demigods. 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,” declared Riordan.
Riordan will write the pilot with Jon Steinberg (Black Sails), and James Bobin is on board to direct. “James is a terrific person and also an incredibly talented director who recently 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,” said Riordan.
The epic adventure series will be, according to Disney+, “closely aligned with” Riordan’s bestselling book series published by Disney Hyperion. Steinberg and his producing partner Dan Shotz are overseeing the series and will executive produce along with Riordan, Bobin, Rebecca Riordan, Bert Salke, Monica Owusu-Breen, Jim Rowe, and Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, and D.J. Goldberg.
According to the official announcement, the 20th Television production is currently in the casting stage.
“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,” said Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television.
“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,” explained 20th Television President Karey Burke. “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.”
A Percy Jackson and the Olympians feature film was released in 2010 starring Logan Lerman as Percy Jackson, Brandon T. Jackson as Grover, and Alexandra Daddario as Annabeth. Directed by Chris Columbus, the PG-rated adaptation grossed over $226 million during its theatrical run.
Disney+ released the following description of the much-anticipated series:
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.
