Percy Jackson might not have stolen Zeus’ lightning bolt, but he certainly stole the audience’s hearts.
Disney Plus’s new Percy Jackson and the Olympians, starring Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson, Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth Chase, and Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood, brings Rick Riordan’s beloved Percy Jackson series to the big screen. Within its eight-episode season, director James Bobin captures the story of The Lightning Thief, the first book of the franchise, following 12-year old Percy as he’s thrust into the world of Greek mythology.
The highlight of both the books and series adaptation is the character dynamics. Often quoted as our generation’s “Golden Trio” (Harry Potter), Scobell, Jeffries, and Simhadri perfectly complement each other on and off screen. The audience laughed, cried, and marveled at “Percabeth” (Percy and Annabeth’s ship name).
However, this isn’t the first Percy Jackson adaptation fans have received. The 2010 film, directed by Chris Columbus (also the director of the first two Harry Potter movies), received tremendous backlash for its major deviations from the original books. For example, the movie ages Percy from 12 to 16 years old, creating an entirely different tone and appeal to Riordan’s young-adult, coming-of-age novel.
Riordan himself has strongly condemned this movie publicly, stating that seeing the movie was watching “[his] life’s work going through a meat grinder.” When the announcement of a Percy Jackson TV series with Riordan as the executive producer and writer, fans saw an opportunity for their favorite books to finally get a faithful adaptation.
“If the movies weren’t supposed to be an adaptation of the books, then it would be okay,” junior Alexia Clappsy said. “But I had high hopes, and I was really disappointed after watching it.”
“The show had amazing casting and acting across the board,” junior Sojung Lee added. “There were some changes to the plot, but I actually enjoyed the changes. They remained true to the spirit of Percy Jackson, and I think that the story makes even more sense with them.”
The show is a must-watch for everyone — even if you haven’t read the books! Junior Akshay Dhawan has never read any of the Percy Jackson books, but nevertheless, he called the new series “one of [his] favorite shows.”
“It was a little confusing at first with all the Greek gods and the names, but it turned out to be such a good show with its visual effects, its friendships, and the depths of emotion,” Akshay said. “I loved watching the characters develop over the course of the season.”
We highly recommend watching the Disney Plus adaptation. Though the series can feel rushed at times, Scobell, Jeffries, and Simhadri truly embody Riordan’s characters on screen, providing a lighthearted viewing experience for all ages. Whether you’ve been a Percy Jackson fan forever or you’ve never heard of the franchise before — or maybe, you too are a half-blood — you’re in for a minotaur-fighting, goat-filled ride.