Ryan Reynolds reacts to his The Adam Project co-star Walker Scobell being cast in the lead role in Disney+’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Scobell played the younger version of Reynolds’ time-traveling hero Adam Reed in the 2022 Netflix sci-fi action movie. Now, he is set to play the titular demigod in Disney+’s adaptation of Rick Riordan’s fantasy novel series.
Bringing the pantheon of Greek gods and their surrounding mythology into the modern age, Riordan’s popular Percy Jackson and the Olympians novel series captured the hearts of many young fans as it explored the adventures of the demigod residents of Camp Half-Blood. Adapting the first novel, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, Disney+’s upcoming show will see the young Percy Jackson grapple with learning that his father is the Greek god Poseidon while trying to clear his name after Zeus’ powerful Master Bolt is stolen. With production set to begin soon, Scobell was revealed to be cast as Percy, after which several prominent figures took to social media to wish him luck.
Among them is Reynolds, who takes to his various social media accounts to congratulate Scobell on his casting. Via both his personal Twitter account an Instagram story, Reynolds jokes that Scobell’s casting makes him an older Percy Jackson, before praising the young actor for taking on the role, alongside an image of Scobell’s The Adam Project character harnessing lightning in the Netflix movie. Check out both of Reynolds’ congratulatory posts below:
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Scobell already impressed both Reynolds and The Adam Project director Shawn Levy with his ability to capture Reynolds’ mannerisms. Levy recalled Scobell’s impressive Deadpool impression during his audition, saying that not only did he manage to match Reynolds’ style of line delivery, but surprised both the director and actor with his ability to recite lines from Deadpool 2 word-for-word. The result allowed Levy, Reynolds, and Scobell to more freely be able to create improvised moments without the fear of it being too daunting for the acting newcomer.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians may be an intimidating project for any new actor to tackle, with its strong, dedicated fanbase looking for the new star to stand out from less-fondly remembered previous adaptations. With filming set to begin in June 2022, Scobell will be leading one of Disney+’s most anticipated shows, so the display of full support from his The Adam Project co-star is a heartwarming sight. Scobell has already shown he’s more than capable of handling both action and comedic moments alongside Reynolds, making him a good choice to portray Percy Jackson in the upcoming fantasy series.
