A new demographic report reveals the age of many of the viewers of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. The Disney+ show, which is currently airing season 1, is based on the book series of the same name by author Rick Riordan, who is also one of the co-creators and executive producers of the show. Inspired by Greek mythology, the show follows a quest undertaken by demigod Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell), the son of Poseidon, with his friends Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries), the daughter of Athena, and Grover (Aryan Simhadri), his satyr protector.
Deadline reports that the latest Nielsen streaming chart contains some intriguing demographic data about Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 1. According to their findings, 25% of the audience for the show is under the age of 17. While that isn’t an unusual demographic for a Disney+ show, this means that a quarter of the audience was not alive when the original Percy Jackson book was published, which happened 19 years ago in 2005.
Percy Jackson’s Longevity Was Never a Given
It might seem obvious that a show adapted from an ongoing book franchise would have a built-in audience. In addition to the original five novels, the series has now expanded to include five Heroes of Olympus sequels, five Trials of Apollo sequels, four supplementary books, five graphic novel adaptations, and a new trilogy that was kickstarted with 2023’s The Chalice of the Gods. Considering the number of books and the age of the Percy Jackson cast, a young audience is not altogether strange. However, the books are so far the only branch of the multimedia franchise with notable longevity.
The original attempt to bring Percy Jackson to the screen was met with failure. The 2010 movie The Lightning Thief, which was directed by Chris Columbus, made $226.4 million against its $95 million budget. Its 2013 sequel Sea of Monsters cost $90 million and only made $200 million. This lukewarm commercial reception was compounded with outspoken derision toward the movies from Riordan himself, and no further Percy Jackson books were adapted to the big screen.
While Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 has not been officially renewed, its engaged viewership makes that possibility very likely. However, that season will likely cover the same material as Sea of Monsters, meaning that all five original books have still never been properly adapted to the screen. This sporadic approach to adaptation likely hasn’t yet engendered long-term cultural interest in the property, meaning that the number of young audience members for the show can probably be attributed to the enduring reputation of the books, which have forged their own longevity despite a stop-and-start approach elsewhere in the franchise.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians airs on Disney+ on Tuesdays.
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
- Seasons
- 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
