Percy Jackson Is Exactly What Disney Plus Needs
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Percy Jackson Is Exactly What Disney Plus Needs

Disney Plus: home to intergalactic bounty hunters, hormonal teenagers, superheroes, and now gods.

31
Percy Jackson Is Exactly What Disney Plus Needs

After years of begging and pleading from fans on Twitter, a live action "Percy Jackson" television series centered around the half human half demigod teenage son of Poseidon and the perilous journey he must endure to fulfill his destiny has been announced to be in development at the rapidly expanding streaming service Disney Plus with each season focusing on the five books of the main series: "The Lightning Thief", "Sea of Monsters", "The Titan's Curse", "Battle of the Labyrinth", and "The Last Olympian".

Not unlike the "Harry Potter" or "Lord of the Rings" series, the "Percy Jackson" mythology depicted in the novels is home to hundreds of characters, creatures, and locations derived from Greek mythology which the show would be remiss not to take advantage of. The "Percy Jackson" films ( starring Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, and Brandon T. Jackson), "The Lightning Thief" and "Sea of Monsters" were not complete box office bombs with both movies combined grossing over 400 million dollars worldwide.

However, the movies released left much to be desired in the way of story, character development, as well as staying faithful to the source material. For close to a decade, the two mediocre films were all fans would have when it came to live action representations of the "Percy Jackson" series.

In maintaining the longevity of the show, it would be very beneficial for Disney to go the "Harry Potter" route with the series by focusing on an actual teenage group of characters who can really age into the role and grow with the audience as the series continues. For instance, "Stranger Things" is a well established show that revolves heavily around a younger main cast of characters in very high stakes situations and that's not only one of Netflix's biggest shows but one of the biggest shows out right now period. Don't make the mistake of the movies and cast actors that will be deemed too old for their roles after about a year.

Now Disney Plus was only released in the latter half of the previous year so it's understandable that they are going to need some time to build themselves from the ground up. However, the service doesn't offer much in the way of original television or film content compared to the competition Netflix and Hulu. Right now, Disney Plus is banking on mass nostalgia and that's definitely working for its 50 million subscribers but that can only hold for so long. In order to be on equal footing with the others, Disney must start offering more variety in the way of its content.

As far as specific content goes, Disney is currently missing out on the epic fantasy genre of original programming that HBO has with "Game of Thrones", Netflix with "The Witcher", and Amazon Prime Video with its upcoming "Lord of the Rings" series. Now most of the aforementioned are adult oriented shows while "Percy Jackson" is aimed primarily at young adults, which is another advantage for that series. " Percy Jackson" along with Disney's future Marvel slate of shows ( "Falcon and the Winter Soldier", "WandaVision, "She Hulk", etc.) offer an opportunity for Disney's service to further distance itself from just the fairy tale and princess fare that the company is primarily known for. Many Disney Plus subscribers are satisfied now but they are going to need a more mature yet colorful brand to hold them over aside from "Avengers" and "The Mandalorian" in the downtime. Enter the Greek gods of Olympus.

While no major details have been revealed beyond that the show is in development, the upcoming show seems to be in fairly safe hands with the author of the original "Percy Jackson" book series Rick Riordan and his wife Becky behind the scenes overseeing the TV project. The "Percy Jackson" fans who have followed the series since its inception deserve a faithful adaptation that can take its time with the story and characters, given that we're now getting a full show as opposed to a two hour film. A "Percy Jackson" series done the right way deserves to be seen in the same light as a "Harry Potter" or "Lord of the Rings" adaptation, or dare I say even better.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

71566
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

133530
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments