There’s already promise for the upcoming Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and a power detail teases a major advantage over the movies. In 2010 and 2013, Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson book series was adapted into two films, The Lightning Thief and Sea of Monsters, but didn’t adhere to his creative intent and received poor reviews critically and from fans of the books. Not only were the characterizations critiqued for age and personalities, but some key narrative changes, like how Percy and his friends got to the Underworld, let the films down.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians‘ cast and promotional material so far suggest more fidelity than the film adaptations. Under Riordan’s creative wing, the Disney+ show will hopefully rectify some of the films’ missteps. Additionally, Disney’s commitment to Riordan’s vision and episode-specific budgets matching that of The Mandalorian shows the TV series adaptation seems to have taken the time to create a version of the story that will resonate with fans. Aside from correcting the films’ tonal mistakes by keeping Percy 12 years old instead of 17, trailers and interviews tease that Percy’s powers in the show will have the edge over their portrayal in the films too.
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Percy Jackson And The Olympians Includes Percy’s Crucial Minotaur Fight
In Riordan’s book series, Percy fights numerous creatures and gods, each one adding to his battle acumen and teaching him more about his abilities. One of the most integral fights occurs in the first book when he faces the Minotaur. The Percy Jackson and the Olympians trailer confirms this formidable beast will be included in the show, but doesn’t reveal much about how Percy takes it down. At the 2023 New York Comic-Con, VFX supervisors Jack White and Erik Henry showed a deep understanding of how crucial the Minotaur is to Percy’s journey in learning who he is and what his powers can do. See their comments below:
Henry: I was asked recently what my favorite shot was, and it’s definitely one of the hero moments when the Minotaur– Percy gets on top and snaps the horn off. And then the camera move that we came up with is really dynamic. You move around the face and he’s in pain, and so the Minotaur’s mouth opens up as you come by. Then [Percy] puts the horn in and, as everyone knows who’s read the book, that makes him dissolve, and Percy falls through it. All of that dynamic work is just beautiful.
White: We spent a lot of time carefully crafting the sequence, so you actually felt like Percy was in real danger. And when the moment happens with his mom, it’s very emotional in the show.
Carefully constructing the Minotaur sequence to match the book sets the tone for the rest of the story. This promises a season that will align with the book’s hero arc for Percy, since the Minotaur fight is his first real use of his powers in a fight. Percy in the film, however, not only uses his sword but also doesn’t break off the horn himself. Instead, it snaps off when the Minotaur charges head-first into a tree. By following the book, Percy Jackson and the Olympians‘ Minotaur scene marks Percy’s journey to understanding his powers, like his super strength, and how his anger at the Minotaur’s attack on his mother influences his abilities.
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Walker Scobell Did Sword Training To Master His Use Of Riptide In Percy Jackson
Although the movies make use of Percy’s sword Riptide, even if incorrectly at times, the Disney+ TV series indicates a much more intentional use of the iconic weapon. Walker Scobell, who plays the titular character, underwent stunt training that involved playing ping pong with a sword. While a unique approach, this presumably allowed Scobell to get comfortable handling the weapon fluidly, which bodes well for the numerous fight scenes expected where Percy will use it.
Moreover, in promotional content, fans have gotten glimpses of Percy using Riptide both in battle and training at Camp Half-Blood. Riptide’s importance to Percy’s character is linked to his progress in combat. While the film also shows Percy training with his sword at the camp, the slower progression of Percy’s aptitude for it seems more accurate in the show based on what’s been revealed so far. Scobell’s training is also a positive sign that a more natural progression from novice to master will play out on the show, using the book’s key fights as demonstrations of this, such as the story arc with Ares.
Why Percy Jackson And The Olympians’ Fixing Percy’s Fighting Skills Helps The Franchise
Naturally, abiding by Riordan’s core intent when it comes to Percy’s characterization is already a step in the right direction. With Percy’s fighting skills in particular, though, an accurate depiction can also strengthen the narrative, allowing the show to appeal to new audiences and not only book fans. What the promotional material highlights is that Percy’s story throughout the series is focused on being able to “unlock [his] destiny” and “unleash [his] power.” A focus on destiny and power corresponds with the book series as a whole, which follows his journey to his 16th birthday when he has to make a decision that could either save or destroy Olympus.
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Since the films fast-track Percy’s weapons and fighting skills and re-imagine the Kronos storyline, it loses the intrigue of Percy’s development into his teen years and through learning the extent of his powers that the Disney series suggests it’ll explore. This relates to his ability to manipulate water, which has been kept under wraps, aside from confirmation that Percy’s ability to harness the water builds as the show progresses. Overall, Percy Jackson and the Olympians‘ focus on honing the titular character’s fighting skills and power control can correct the poorly paced development of them in the films, while making Percy’s personal arc more complex.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
- Release Date:
- 2023-12-20
- Cast:
- Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, Aryan Simhadri, Jason Mantzoukas, Megan Mullally, Glynn Turman, Adam Copeland, Virginia Kull, Lance Reddick
- Genres:
- Action, Adventure, Fantasy
- Rating:
- TV-PG
- Seasons:
- 1
- Season List:
- Percy Jackson & the Olympians – Season 1
- Story By:
- Rick Riordan
- Writers:
- Rick Riordan, Jonathan E. Steinberg
- Streaming Service(s):
- Disney Plus
- Franchise(s):
- Percy Jackson & The Olympians
- Directors:
- James Bobin, Anders Engström
- Showrunner:
- Jonathan E. Steinberg, Dan Shotz
