The beloved Percy Jackson books are getting the TV treatment, and the show is heading to streaming. The news comes a decade after Rick Riordan’s novel The Lightning Thief was adapted for a 2010 film starring Logan Lerman in the title role of Percy Jackson, and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters followed as a sequel in 2013.
Fast forward seven years to 2020, and Percy Jackson is returning for a streaming series. It is not just headed to any streamer, either. Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan announced that the TV show would arrive on Disney+, and it would be live-action. On Twitter, Riordan wrote of the exciting announcement, telling fans:
Hey Percy Jackson fans, for the past decade, you've worked hard to champion a faithful on-screen adaptation of Percy Jackson's world. Some of you have even suggested it would be a great series for Disney+. We couldn't agree more! We can't say much more at this stage but we are very excited about the idea of a live-action series of the highest quality, following the storyline of the original Percy Jackson five-book series, starting with The Lightning Thief in season one. Rest assured that Becky & I will be involved in person in every aspect of the show. There will be much more news in the future, but for now, we have a lot of work to do! Buckle up, demigods. It's going to be a fantastic, exciting ride!
There you have it. Percy Jackson has found its streaming home on Disney+, and it will be in good company. The Turner & Hooch series starring Josh Peck and The Mighty Ducks TV show that is bringing back Emilio Estevez are both heading there, as well. In more good news, it would seem that Percy Jackson could be around for a while on Disney+.
Rick Riordan mentions that the “idea” of the Percy Jackson TV show is to follow the five-book arc set out by his novels, with Season 1, obviously, beginning with the first of those installments and the (already-adapted) book, The Lightning Thief. If things prove successful, Disney+ could, theoretically, adapt all five novels, leading to a five-season run at the least.
Five seasons is presumably how many the TV show would need to faithfully adapt all of the Percy Jackson novels, and Rick Riordan mentioned that the Disney+ series is, indeed, looking to stay true to his books. So, it will be interesting once fans of the novels can check out the differences between the series and the two movie adaptations.
Rick Riordan did not mention a premiere date or who would be playing the title role for the Disney+ series in his message to fans. Riordan and his wife’s enthusiasm for the future show is palpable, though. Check out Riordan and his wife, Becky, in a video announcing the news of the Percy Jackson TV show below:
The premiere date and series star are just two of the many announcements Percy Jackson fans can likely look forward to as the time grows closer. News of Disney+ hopping aboard a Percy Jackson adaptation comes not too long after the streamer announced it would be teaming up with Goosebumps’ author R.L. Stine for an adaptation of his graphic novel series, Just Beyond.
Suffice it to say that Disney+ is in novel form as of late. Moving forward with a Percy Jackson adaptation in series form is, undoubtedly, another wise move for the streamer. Television has the ability to dig into a novel’s plots in a far more in-depth manner than a time-pressed film can manage, so fans of the books will be likely to get a lot out of the show once it airs.
To think that Percy Jackson and soon-to-be cereal Baby Yoda will be on the same streamer has to be pretty thrilling for fans. While you wait for the Percy Jackson TV show to arrive on Disney+, you can check out this summer’s premieres. There is a lot set to arrive on the streamer.
