A storm is brewing, and this one could usher in the end of times.
Disney+ has released a new trailer for Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and there’s a good chance it will be the streaming service’s best series this year.
With the Marvel Cinematic Universe imploding on both the big screen and on streaming, and the tepid response to The Mandalorian Season 3, Disney+ is betting on Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
In the past, Disney+ hasn’t put its marketing muscle behind projects outside the MCU and Star Wars universe.
If the series manages to break through, it will probably urge the streaming service to take more significant risks.
Adapting Rick Riordan’s bestselling book series for the small screen already looks to be paying off.
While the two big-screen adaptations were criticized, everything we see for Percy Jackson and the Olympians looks like a natural next step for the franchise.
The latest trailer alone is visually stunning and breathtaking, propelling us into this universe from Percy’s (Walker Scobell) perspective.
How would you feel if you learned you had powers and had to go on a mission to find a missing bolt to prevent a deadly war?
That’s a lot to put on anyone’s shoulders, never mind a 12-year-old.
We see Percy’s struggle as he aspires to live up to what his parents believe he can do while being fully aware that he may not be cut out for this.
On this mission, he’s joined by Grover Underwood (Aryan Simhadri) and Annabeth Chase (Leah Sava Jeffries)
The series “tells the fantastical story of a 12-year-old modern demigod, Percy Jackson, who’s just coming to terms with his newfound divine powers when the sky god, Zeus, accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt,” the logline teases.
“With help from his friends Grover and Annabeth, Percy must embark on an adventure of a lifetime to find it and restore order to Olympus.
The cast also includes notable guest stars Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hermes), Megan Mullally (Alecto aka Mrs. Dodds), Toby Stephens (Poseidon), Virginia Kull (Sally Jackson), Jason Mantzoukas (Dionysus aka Mr. D), and Jay Duplass (Hades).
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Also starring is Glynn Turman (Chiron aka Mr. Brunner), the late Lance Reddick (Zeus), Adam Copeland (Ares), Charlie Bushnell (Luke Castellan), and Dior Goodjohn (Clarisse La Rue).
Rounding out the cast is Jessica Parker Kennedy (Medusa), Olivea Morton (Nancy Bobofit), Suzanne Cryer (Echidna), Timm Sharp “Gabe Ugliano), and Timothy Omundson (Hephaestus).
Percy Jackson and the Olympians premieres December 20 on Disney+ with a two-episode premiere, followed by new episodes weekly.
According to Disney+, Riordan worked closely with the creative team and showrunners Jon Steinberg and Dan Shotz to bring his books to life and deliver a series that stays true to his vision for these heroic characters that millions of book fans know and love.
That’s encouraging because many adaptations lose the essence of the source material, but here, it sounds like we’ll be getting an authentic portrayal of this universe.
The first two episodes are written by Riordan and Steinberg and directed by James Bobin.
Steinberg and Shotz serve as executive producers alongside Rick Riordan, Rebecca Riordan, The Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Bert Salke, The Gotham Group’s Jeremy Bell and D.J. Goldberg, James Bobin, Jim Rowe, Monica Owusu-Breen, Anders Engström, and Jet Wilkinson.
Check out the full-length promo below.
What are your thoughts on the trailer?
Are you excited about this next chapter of the franchise?
Hit the comments.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.