By Matthew Acosta, Feb. 15, 2022
Streaming giant Disney+ will be adding another series to its production list as they have come to terms of agreement with the author and creator of the “Percy Jackson” series, Rick Riordan.
“Percy Jackson” is the coming-of-age novel that came to the forefront of many people’s childhoods alongside the likes of the “Harry Potter” and “Hunger Games” series. The story follows the adventures of a teenager that has come to find out he is a descendant of a Greek God. The novel was published in 2005, selling 180 million copies, and it was eventually made into a film in 2010.
Riordan took to social media to make the announcement that his greatest literary work would once again grace the screen, which was both shocking and exciting for all those reacting to the news.
Riordan has also been granted creative control with Disney in contrast to the relationship that he had with 21st Century Fox.
Anya Alvarez, a mathematics major, was hopeful that the new series will follow in the footsteps of companies coming into Disney and growing and gaining more popularity.
“I have high hopes for it considering they have done so well with ‘Marvel’ and a little bit with ‘Star Wars,’” said Alvarez. “I don’t think that they are going to mess it up.”
This will be the series’ first return to the screen since the premiere of “Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters” in 2013, which is widely considered a flop among many die-hard fans.
Creative control for authors is something that has done well in the past with the “Harry Potter” series being driven in a specific direction by J.K. Rowling. Riordan having the same type of control over this upcoming adaption of his series is something that fans should be excited about.
David Ortega, a business administration major, looks forward to Riordan having more creative control with this upcoming series.
“I think it will make it a lot better, because coming from the actual author himself, he can put in what he wanted to see. For example, I am a ‘Star Wars’ fan, so I noticed the difference when they went over to Disney and made the sequels, and then how George Lucas became more involved with the shows, especially with John Favreau, you can tell the difference and they just produce better storylines,” said Ortega.
Disney has started its search for the cast which has left many fans debating who should play each of the major roles that they fell in love with as children. Much of the fan reaction to casting stems from social media outlets such as Twitter and TikTok, with many calling for some of the original cast to return.
One casting theory that has been gaining traction on social media platforms is the prospect that former main character of the “Percy Jackson” series, Logan Lerman, returns to the film. Lerman, who played Percy Jackson in the first film, has fans calling to return as Poseidon, God of the Sea.
There seems to be a more positive reaction to this casting theory as Ortega gave his seal of approval on some of these homage rumors relating to the original movies.
“I think that will be a good callback to the first two movies, so it’s like he was Percy, but now if they are starting their own brand-new storyline, and he is still in it, I think it will be a good aspect for the films,” Ortega said.
The “Percy Jackson” series will join the likes of “Marvel” and Lucas Films in this recent influx of original series that have been reimagined by Disney+.
There has been some call for possible concern with those series looking for the pure monetization of their respective brands.
“I have some friends that I still talk to from high school, and we still hang out. They loved that series, so just for their sake, I hope it’s good and doesn’t become a merchandise grab,” said organizational communication major Ian Thorn.
Though there are still many decisions to be made in wake of this announcement, including all the casting, set and choice of writers, things are beginning to look up for those that have grown up alongside these books and have a deeper connection to them like other book series turned franchises before them.
Featured image courtesy of Matthew Acosta.
