Percy Jackson and the Olympians release updates and everything we know

Updated: Aug. 18, 2023 – An official trailer Percy Jackson and the Olympians and a release date have been announced! Read all the details, here.

This isn’t the first time Percy Jackson’s story has had a live-action adaptation. ’90s and ’00s kids alike may remember the film series starring Logan Lerman. They weren’t well received by critics or fans. Luckily, Hollywood is still in its reboot era and Percy’s story is being revived.

Here’s what we know about the upcoming show!

Percy Jackson and the Olympians release updates

Updated Aug. 18, 2023: According to TV Line, the live-action series premieres on Wednesday, Dec. 20, only on Disney+. On premiere day, the first two episodes will be released, follow by one episode each week.

Is Percy Jackson and the Olympians filming?

No. Principal photography has wrapped. Filming took place from June 2, 2022 to Feb. 2, 2023.

Where was Percy Jackson and the Olympians filmed?

The series was shot in Vancouver, British Columbia. Filming also took place utilizing a StageCraft LED stage by Industrial Light & Magic which features a 95-foot LED screen.

Where to stream Percy Jackson and the Olympians

The series is a Disney+ original and will stream exclusively on the platform.

Is Percy Jackson and the Olympians based on a book?

Yes, the live-action show is based on the book series of the same name written by Rick Riordan. Season 1 will cover the story that unfolds in the collection’s first book, The Lightning Thief. The synopsis of the book according to Goodreads:

"Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse – Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy’s mom finds out, she knows it’s time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he’ll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena – Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods."

Is Rick Riordan involved in Percy Jackson and the Olympians?

Riordan will be heavily involved in the series and serves as a writer on the pilot episode along with Jon Steinberg. The author has criticized the previous adaptation of his work, stating:

"Well, to you guys, it’s a couple hours’ entertainment. To me, it’s my life’s work going through a meat grinder when I pleaded with them not to do it. So yeah. But it’s fine. All fine. We’re gonna fix it soon."

Given his involvement in this new adaptation, we expect it’ll be true to his vision and that of fans the world over who adore the Percy Jackson books.

Is Logan Lerman in Percy Jackson and the Olympians?

It looks like the original Percy Jackson won’t be making an appearance in the series. While fans have wondered if he’ll play the hero’s father, Poseidon, he put an end to that speculation in an interview with Esquire, EW reported back in January 2023. He said the following:

"I get people asking me all the time if I’m gonna play Poseidon, and I’m like, ‘Am I old enough to play Poseidon? I don’t think I’m old enough for that one! I wouldn’t cast me in that role if I was part of the creative team. I don’t know, these are all hypotheticals, so I have no idea.I don’t think I’m right for that anyways. I also just don’t even know if it’s interesting to me, in terms of: I don’t even know what that would be. But there’s not a secret that’s waiting to be announced or something like that. I do get asked a lot about it, and I hate to disappoint and be like, ‘No, I don’t know anything, and I’m not involved,’ but that’s the truth."

Will Alexandra Daddario be in Percy Jackson and the Olympians?

While the actress has supported Leah Jeffries, the young girl who will be stepping into the role of Annabeth for the series, she’s made no indication that she’s in the show.

Is Brandon T. Jackson in Percy Jackson and the Olympians?

Also no. In Nov. 2022, Riordan posted to his blog the following statement about cameos from the film series’ cast: “…there will be no crossover casting between the movies and the new TV show. This must be and will be its own thing.”

Percy Jackson and the Olympians cast

• Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson
• Aryan Simhadri as Grover
• Leah Jeffries  as Annabeth
• Virginia Kull as Sally Jackson
• Jason Mantzoukas as Mr. D / Dionysus
• Megan Mullally as Mrs. Dodds / Alecto
• Glynn Turman as Mr. Brunner / Chiron
• Timm Sharp as Gabe Ugliano
• Olivea Morton as Nancy Bobofit
• Dior Goodjohn as Clarisse LaRue
• Charlie Bushnell as Luke Castellan
• Jessica Parker Kennedy as Medusa
• Suzanne Cryer as Echidna
• Adam Copeland as Ares
• Lin-Manuel Miranda as Hermes
• Jay Duplass as Hades
• Timothy Omundson as Hephaestus
• Lance Reddick as Zeus
• Toby Stephens as Poseidon

Why was there controversy over Leah Jeffries’ casting as Annabeth in Percy Jackson and the Olympians?

The young actress is Black and the character of Annabeth is white. There was online backlash over the colorblind casting that took place for the series. The author had expressed that all actors chosen to be in the series had been selected because they embodied the spirit of the characters and that during the casting process they did not feel beholden to the descriptions in the books.

There was quite a bit of racism and vitriol thrown at Jeffries online, so much so that older Black actresses–like Candice Patton, Anna Diop, and Javicia Leslie–who’d experienced the same level of push back and harassment, rallied around her. Riordan also called out supposed fans who were attacking the preteen.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians synopsis

The official logline via Disney+:

"Geared towards a general audience and especially tweens, teens, and young adults, the live action series tells the fantastical story of a 12-year-old modern demigod, Percy Jackson, who’s just coming to terms with his newfound supernatural powers when the sky god Zeus accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt. Now Percy must trek across America to find it and restore order to Olympus."

How many episodes does Percy Jackson and the Olympians have?

Season 1 will have a total of eight episodes.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians trailer

Check out the new trailer and previously released teaser, here:

We’ll keep you posted on more Percy Jackson news as it comes in. Stay tuned to Hidden Remote!