Development for the Disney+ Percy Jackson series is underway, and it’s unlikely to feature any actors from the movies, but Nathan Fillion still needs to return to the world of the Olympians as the Greek God Hermes. Logan Lerman and Brandon T. Jackson won’t be reprising their roles due to their ages, but Fillion doesn’t have that problem.
While the Percy Jackson movies were not well-received upon their release, Fillion’s performance was recognized as one of the few positive standouts, and he would also be an asset to the Percy Jackson TV series. The original adaptation, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, was released in theaters in 2010, followed by the sequel Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters in 2013. The latter features one brilliant sequence involving Fillion as Hermes, the messenger god. He cloaks his domain as a UPS store and gives Percy and his friends magical tools for their quest.
Fillion should reprise his role as Hermes in the Disney+ adaptation of the Percy Jackson series because he had the most memorable cameo in the movies. In Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, he only has about a minute of screentime, yet with his delivery of important plot information and helpful tools to Percy, Annabeth, and Grover, the Suicide Squad actor imbues the role with the wry humor and dashing charm that makes Hermes a compelling character. Fillion’s lovable trickster energy makes for the perfect Hermes, and he deserves to be upgraded from a cameo to a fully-featured recurring role in the Percy Jackson show.
Nathan Fillion’s acting talent is not the only reason he is perfect for the role of Hermes in the Disney+ adaptation of the Percy Jackson & the Olympians books. His presence would also give the series the chance to reach a wider audience. The Percy Jackson books are primarily aimed at the young adult demographic. Including Fillion in the cast could convince older viewers that the Percy Jackson show is also accessible for them. Fillion’s performances as Richard Castle in Castle and Captain Malcolm Reynolds in Firefly have made him an iconic actor in the eyes of certain audiences. If the Percy Jackson TV show included Fillion, it would have a greater chance of attracting fans of those series and others.
Also, Fillion proclaimed to be a fan of Percy Jackson in a promotional interview for Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters. Hopefully, if this is still true, he would be willing to reprise his role as Hermes. His return to the material would give him another chance to dig deeper into the Hermes character and showcase more of his humor, talent, and dedication to the role. Other projects, like Uncharted, have failed to cast Fillion, despite fans wanting him in the roles, but Percy Jackson should not follow suit. One minute of Fillion’s cheeky yet endearing performance as Hermes was not enough time for audiences to fully appreciate all he could do with the role. Disney now has the chance to amend this error.
So far, the only casting announcement regarding the Percy Jackson TV series is Walker Scobell as Percy. There is no word if any actors from the Percy Jackson movies will be returning to their roles in the show. However, since those earlier adaptations have such a negative reputation, it is likely that the Percy Jackson show will be distancing itself from any and all associations with the movies. Still, it’s hard to imagine anyone besides Nathan Fillion in the role of Hermes in the Percy Jackson series.
