Fans of the Percy Jackson series are finally getting a book-to-screen adaptation that they deserve with the looks of the upcoming show’s trailer that was released on September 19th. From what little promo was given, it already looks more accurate to the books than the 2010 and 2013 movies where.
The story is about a twelve year old boy, Percy Jackson, who learns that his father is the Greek God, Poseidon. He must come to terms with his newly discovered powers while also being accused of stealing the king of the gods, Zeus’, lightning bolt. Percy must find the lightning bolt and prove his innocence to restore order on Olympus.
The trailer begins with a shot of the Manhattan Bridge and the New York City skyline with a cover of Vance Joy’s Riptide playing in the background. The song is an ode to Percy’s sword, Riptide. Fans also get a more detailed look at Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson. Despite the blond hair, Scobell’s energy is very similar to Percy’s and fans were charmed by him in interviews.
Percy’s hair is not the only difference author Rick Riordan made in the casting. After he announced the cast, he had to come to the defense of the young actress he chose to play Annabeth Chase, Leah Savas Jeffries, a Black actress. Annabeth in the books is described as white with blonde hair. A few people took to social media to bash the actress and her casting in very rude and awful ways. Riordan responded to these comments by stating that he “was looking for the best actors to inhabit and bring to life the personalities of these characters” and that “physical appearance was secondary”. He then went on to praise Jeffries’ skills, and states that, “Once you see Leah as Annabeth, she will become exactly the way you imagine Annabeth”.
Riordan is not known for shying away from diverse characters. His stories include a multitude of characters with different ethnicities, disabilities, sexual orientation, and gender identities. While they may not all be perfect representations, many fans appreciate his attempt at making everyone feel like they can be heroes.
There are a few new upcoming actors in the cast. Arayan Simhadri is playing Percy’s best friend, Grover. Charles Bushnell is cast as Luke Castellan. Among the newcomers, there are also some famous ones as well. The late Lance Reddick was announced as Zeus a few months before his passing in March. Jason Mantzoukas is set to play Hermes, the god of Mischief and WWE star, Adam Copeland, is cast as the god of War, Ares.
The trailer has left fans eagerly awaiting the first two episodes set to be released December 20 on Disney Plus. However, they will not have to wait long for content as Riordan is releasing a new book titled, The Chalice of the Gods, featuring the beloved characters Percy, Annabeth, and Grover on September 26th.
