Warning: This article may contain SPOILERS for the Percy Jackson and the Olympians novel series.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians may include characters from the entire book series and will tease future book events, according to those involved with the show. Adapted from the six-book series by Rick Riordan, the Disney+ show features Walker Scobell as the titular Percy, the young demigod son of Greek god Poseidon. Season 1 is set to focus on the events of book 1, The Lightning Thief, in which Percy is sent to a training camp for demigods known as Camp Half-Blood with his best friend Grover (Aryan Simhadri) and meets Annabeth Chase (Leah Jeffries).
Based on the previously released season 1 episode titles and early reactions to the Disney+ show, Percy Jackson season 1 will be extremely faithful to the events of The Lightning Thief, with the season 1 episode titles even matching chapter titles from the beloved book. However, those involved with the new show have made it clear that the scope and vision for the series is limitless, which co-showrunner Dan Shotz and episode 1 and 2 director James Bobin have confirmed during a conversation with Entertainment Weekly. Shotz and Bobin state that Percy Jackson season 1 will tease future series events and may even bring in characters not present in book 1, since the Disney+ show is being made with the benefit of hindsight. See what they had to say below:
Shotz: Rick didn’t know exactly what the fifth book would be when he was writing the first book. But we have the benefit of being able to bring in things from the later books to tease what’s to come down the road. There are characters who you maybe didn’t read about in The Lightning Thief, but we could pepper them into season 1 since we know they’re coming later.
Bobin: These things are the small seeds of future situations. That’s how you tell a story in a long-form, with these tiny moments that in five years’ time you can look back on and see how they develop. Leah got that straight away. They know where the story’s going to go and could drop these tiny, tiny hints at stuff that’s going to happen in the future.
Easter Eggs That Could Feature In Percy Jackson Season 1
There are many iconic Percy Jackson characters that only come into play later in the novel series but could be hinted at in season 1, such as Thalia, daughter of Zeus, Percy’s half-brother Tyson, Bianca and her brother Nico, and the intrepid human character Rachel Elizabeth Dare. In terms of gods that are absent from The Lightning Thief, Hermes is a notable character who did not appear in book 1 but is confirmed to appear in season 1, showing that Shotz and Bobin’s words are reflected in the final product. Another god that does not appear until later in the book series is Hephaestus, who will be played by Timothy Omundson in season 1.
Shotz and Bobin’s comments include the idea that Percy Jackson season 1 will employ foreshadowing and teases to later novel events since now, all of Riordan’s books (including the new sixth installment) have been released. These teases may include anything from the inclusion or mention of monsters Percy and the gang will face in later seasons of the show to plot points such as the arrival of Hades’ children to Camp Half-Blood. In addition, Percy and Annabeth’s relationship is an essential part of the book series, so it is likely that Percy Jackson season 1 will set up the pair’s chemistry.
Given the popularity of Riordan’s books, viewers will likely be clamoring for the Disney+ show’s renewal soon after season 1 premieres. While the show’s success on the streaming service will be the best indicator of its chances for renewal, it should be heartening for fans of the source material to know that seeds for future seasons of Percy Jackson are already being planted in season 1. As far as the adaptation of Riordan’s other novels in the larger universe are concerned, perhaps the success of Percy Jackson season 1 will open more doors in the future.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
Based on the novel series by Rick Riordan Percy Jackson & the Olympians is an action-adventure fantasy television series created for Disney+. When Percy Jackson is framed for the theft of Zeus’ almighty thunderbolt, Percy must clear his name, all while harnessing the powers inherited by his father, Poseidon, at a camp created for demi-gods.
- Release Date
- December 20, 2023
- 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
