Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Production and Development History

The journey of Percy Jackson and the Olympians to television began in December 2019 when author Rick Riordan pitched an adaptation to Disney, which had recently acquired 20th Century Fox in March of that same year. By May 2020, a Disney+ series was in active development with the first season planned to adapt the first novel, The Lightning Thief. The project was officially greenlit by Disney Branded Television in January 2022, with 20th Television and the Gotham Group serving as production companies. Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz were announced as showrunners in July 2021, and James Bobin was hired to direct the pilot episode in October of that year after Riordan revealed in March 2021 that a search for directors and cast was underway. The series is produced with a reported budget of $12 to $15 million per episode, allowing for extensive visual effects and production design using Industrial Light & Magic's StageCraft technology.

Rick Riordan and his wife Rebecca Riordan serve as executive producers alongside Steinberg, Shotz, Bobin, Bert Salke, Monica Owusu-Breen, Jim Rowe, Anders Engström, Jet Wilkinson, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, and D. J. Goldberg. The creative team placed a high priority on faithfulness to the source material, with Riordan and Steinberg co-writing the pilot episode and creating a detailed series bible that planned the plot for the first season and ideas for future seasons. Writing for the first season's eight episodes was handled by a team including Owusu-Breen, Daphne Olive, Stewart Strandberg, Zoë Neary, Joe Tracz, and Xavier Stiles. The series was renewed for a second season in February 2024, which adapts The Sea of Monsters, and Albert Kim was announced as a new executive producer for that season in April 2024. The series was renewed for a third season in March 2025, adapting The Titan's Curse, and writing for that season had begun by late February 2025.

Filming in British Columbia

The entire production of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is filmed in the Canadian province of British Columbia, primarily in and around Vancouver. Principal photography for the first season commenced on June 2, 2022, under the working title Mink Golden, and concluded on February 2, 2023. Sound stage work was conducted at Mammoth Studios in Burnaby, where the production utilized Industrial Light & Magic's StageCraft LED volume technology for complex visual effects. Numerous locations across the Lower Mainland were transformed for the series, providing a significant economic boost to the local film industry and employing many Canadian crew members from the province's large production sector.

Specific British Columbia locations stood in for key settings from the novels. Scenes at Camp Half-Blood were filmed in Minaty Bay and Aldergrove in Langley. The prestigious Yancy Academy was portrayed by Hycroft Manor in Vancouver. The climactic Gateway Arch sequence was filmed at Westminster Pier Park in New Westminster and at Simon Fraser University. Production for the second season ran from August 1, 2024, to January 31, 2025, with additional location shooting at Spanish Banks in Vancouver for the duel between Percy and Clarisse filmed between September 19 and 20. Additional location filming for the scenes on Polyphemus' island took place in Osoyoos and the Okanagan Valley. Scenes set in Port Jefferson, New York, were filmed in the historic fishing village of Steveston, British Columbia. Pre-production for the third season took place in July 2025, with principal photography beginning on August 7, 2025, and concluding on March 12, 2026, continuing the show's deep ties to British Columbia's production infrastructure.

Cast and Characters

The series centres on a trio of young actors who embody the core friendship from the books. Walker Scobell was cast in the titular role of Percy Jackson, the twelve-year-old son of Poseidon, in January 2022, with the announcement made in April. Leah Sava Jeffries portrays Annabeth Chase, the intelligent and strategic daughter of Athena who has been training at Camp Half-Blood for five years, while Aryan Simhadri plays Grover Underwood, Percy's best friend, protector, and a satyr. The casting of Jeffries, who is Black, diverged from the book's description of Annabeth and was met with some online backlash, which author Rick Riordan condemned as racism, staunchly defending the actress's suitability for the role. Logan Lerman, who played Percy in the earlier film series, publicly praised the casting of Scobell, Jeffries and Simhadri.

The main cast expanded in subsequent seasons with key additions from the recurring ensemble. Charlie Bushnell plays the role of Luke Castellan, a cunning son of Hermes and counselor of the Hermes cabin who is later revealed to be working with Kronos, appearing as a recurring character in season one before being promoted to the main cast from season two onward. Dior Goodjohn portrays the strong-willed daughter of Ares, Clarisse La Rue, who bullies Percy, also joining the main cast in season two. Daniel Diemer was introduced as Percy's Cyclops half-brother Tyson in the second season. Tamara Smart joined as the powerful and rebellious demigod Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus, in a recurring capacity in season two before being promoted to the main cast for the third season. Azriel Dalman portrays a younger Percy in season one flashbacks, and Marissa Lior Winans, Jeffries's cousin, portrays a younger Annabeth in season two.

• Virginia Kull as Sally Jackson, Percy's selfless mother.
• Glynn Turman as Chiron, the centaur Activities Director of Camp Half-Blood who uses an enchanted wheelchair.
• Jason Mantzoukas as Dionysus, the god of wine and curmudgeonly camp director.
• Toby Stephens as Poseidon and Courtney B. Vance as Zeus, replacing Lance Reddick after his death.
• Lin-Manuel Miranda as Hermes and Jay Duplass as Hades.
• Andra Day as Athena and Adam Copeland as Ares, with Copeland returning for a guest appearance in season two.
• Jessica Parker Kennedy as Medusa and Suzanne Cryer as Echidna, the mother of monsters.
• Timothy Omundson as Hephaestus and Megan Mullally as Alecto, one of the Furies.

Notable guest stars for the third season include Dafne Keen as Artemis and Saara Chaudry as Zoë Nightshade. The cast also includes Kate McKinnon as Aphrodite and Holt McCallany as the villain Atlas. Series author Rick Riordan makes cameo appearances in the first season. In the first season, he appears as a teacher in the headmasters' office at Yancy Academy and as a statue at Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium.

Series Premise and Seasons

Each season of the series adapts one of Rick Riordan's novels, following the ongoing adventures of Percy Jackson as he experiences the world of Greek gods and monsters hidden within the modern day. The first season, which premiered on December 19, 2023, and concluded on January 30, 2024, is based on The Lightning Thief. It follows twelve-year-old Percy, who discovers he is a demigod and is falsely accused by Zeus of stealing the god's master thunderbolt. Percy must undertake a cross-country quest with Annabeth and Grover to find the bolt, prevent a war among the Olympians, and clear his name, encountering figures like Medusa, Procrustes, and Hades along the way.

The second season adapts The Sea of Monsters and aired from December 10, 2025, to January 21, 2026, with episodes also releasing on Hulu. Set a year after the first season, Percy returns to a Camp Half-Blood under threat from the forces of the Titan Kronos and under the interim leadership of King Tantalus, a spirit cursed with eternal hunger. When his friend Grover goes missing on a separate quest, Percy must venture into the treacherous Sea of Monsters, also known as the Bermuda Triangle, alongside Annabeth and his newly discovered Cyclops brother Tyson to retrieve the Golden Fleece, the only item that can save the camp's protective borders. Their journey brings them into conflict with Polyphemus the Cyclops and the sorceress Circe.

The third season, slated to premiere on November 20, 2026, adapts The Titan's Curse. The story begins when Annabeth disappears during a mission, prompting Percy, Grover, and Thalia Grace to join forces with the Hunters of Artemis to rescue her and stop a looming threat to Olympus. This season explores the Great Prophecy, with Percy grappling with the fear that he may be the demigod it foretells who will make a fateful decision for the gods at age sixteen. The season will introduce new characters central to the franchise's future, including Nico and Bianca di Angelo, children of Hades, played by Levi Chrisopulos and Olive Abercrombie.

Creative Elements, Design and Music

The production design of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is led by Dan Hennah, an Academy Award-winning designer known for his work on The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Hennah's team was responsible for creating the distinct visual world that blends ancient Greek mythology with contemporary settings, from the rustic Camp Half-Blood to the underworld of Hades and the modern urban landscapes. Costume design for the first season was handled by Tish Monaghan, who established the look for the demigods' camp attire and the appearances of various gods and monsters. Catherine Adair took over as costume designer for the second season, continuing and expanding the show's sartorial mythology for new characters like the Gray Sisters and the Laestrygonians.

A significant creative change from the source material involves the character of Chiron. While the centaur in the books uses a magical wheelchair to disguise himself among mortals, the series gave him a permanent disability in the form of a brace on his left hind leg, explained as an old war injury. The creators noted this was to better address the character's disability, though they stated it would be a subtle detail in the first season with plans for further exploration in future instalments. Another adaptation choice was toning down the abusive behaviour of Percy's stepfather, Gabe Ugliano, with producer Rebecca Riordan explaining that the book's depiction would be more triggering and difficult to watch in a visual medium and that the show was not intended to be a horror series. The music for the series is composed by Bear McCreary, who began writing music by October 2023 and has a longstanding collaborative relationship with showrunners Steinberg and Shotz from series like Human Target, Black Sails and See.

Reception and Accolades

Percy Jackson and the Olympians has been met with positive reviews from television critics since its debut. Reviewers have consistently praised the series for its faithful adaptation of the beloved book series, its expansive and immersive worldbuilding, and the performances of its central trio. Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, and Aryan Simhadri have been highlighted for their chemistry and embodiment of the characters, with additional acclaim directed at Charlie Bushnell's portrayal of Luke Castellan. The series has been commercially successful for Disney+, driving significant subscriber engagement upon the release of each season and building a dedicated fanbase that appreciates the closer adherence to the novels compared to the earlier film adaptations.

The show's critical success has been reflected in industry awards, particularly at the Children's and Family Emmy Awards. The series received sixteen nominations across its first two seasons and won eight of those awards. Among its wins are the prestigious Outstanding Young Teen Series category, along with awards recognizing achievements in writing and directing. These awards highlight the series' achievement in creating a high-quality production that resonates with both its target audience and awards voters. The renewal for multiple seasons ahead of their premieres demonstrates Disney+'s confidence in the series as a key part of its family programming slate and its value to the streaming platform.

Future of the Series and Franchise

With the third season scheduled for a November 2026 premiere, the future of Percy Jackson and the Olympians appears well-established. The series is structured to adapt each of Rick Riordan's five core novels, meaning plans for a fourth and fifth season are anticipated, though not yet officially announced by Disney+. Writing for the third season, based on The Titan's Curse, had begun by late February 2025. The casting announcements for season three have introduced several major characters from the later books, including Nico and Bianca di Angelo, played by Levi Chrisopulos and Olive Abercrombie, as well as Dafne Keen as Artemis and Saara Chaudry as Zoë Nightshade, indicating a long-term narrative roadmap that will continue to explore the wider mythology.

The production's continued commitment to filming in British Columbia provides stability and has made Vancouver a home for the demigod saga, with the local industry benefiting from the high-budget production across multiple years. The series has also spawned significant ancillary engagement, including popular social media content from the cast and extensive merchandise. As a major Disney+ property, Percy Jackson and the Olympians not only brings a generational book series to life for a new audience but also functions as a major contributor to Canada's film and television production sector, with its high-profile shoots employing local crews and utilizing provincial locations for years to come. The show's success has reinforced the viability of faithful literary adaptations in the streaming era.

Notable Guest Stars and Recurring Roles

The series features an extensive and often star-studded roster of actors portraying gods, monsters, and other mythological beings in guest and recurring capacities. In the first season, notable appearances included Timothy Omundson as the compassionate god Hephaestus, Julian Richings as the villainous Procrustes, and Lance Reddick as the ferocious Zeus. The three Fates were portrayed by Joyce Robbins, La Nein Harrison, and Cindy Piper as Atropos, Lachesis, and Clotho respectively. The second season expanded this tradition with actors like Timothy Simons as the cursed King Tantalus, Rosemarie DeWitt as the sorceress Circe, and Aleks Paunovic as the Cyclops Polyphemus. The three Gray Sisters who operate a taxi service were played by Kristen Schaal as Tempest, Margaret Cho as Wasp, and Sandra Bernhard as Anger.

Recurring characters often bridge seasons and plotlines, such as Nick Boraine as the voice of the Titan Kronos and Beatrice Kitsos as Alison Simms, an original character for the series who is a daughter of Apollo and sides with Kronos' army. The role of Chris Rodriguez, a son of Hermes, was played by Andrew Alvarez in season one and recast with Kevin Chacon for season two, with Alvarez returning as a different rogue demigod named Theo. The Oracle of Delphi, Pythia, was played by Jennifer Shirley in season one and Heather Feeney in season two. This depth of casting adds layers to the world and allows for the introduction of many figures from Greek mythology across the series' run, including a large group of Laestrygonian monsters played by actors like Mark Gibbon, Dan Payne, and Daniel Cudmore in the second season.

Questions about Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Where is Percy Jackson and the Olympians filmed?

The series is filmed entirely in British Columbia, Canada. Principal photography is based in Vancouver, with sound stages at Mammoth Studios in Burnaby. Numerous locations across the province have been used, including Hycroft Manor for Yancy Academy, Minaty Bay for Camp Half-Blood, and the Okanagan Valley for scenes set on Polyphemus' island in the second season. The production has utilized British Columbia's diverse landscapes since it began in June 2022, with specific scenes shot at Spanish Banks, Steveston, and Simon Fraser University.

How many seasons of Percy Jackson and the Olympians are there?

As of 2026, there are three seasons of the series. The first season aired from December 2023 to January 2024, the second from December 2025 to January 2026, and the third is scheduled to premiere on November 20, 2026. The first season adapts The Lightning Thief, the second adapts The Sea of Monsters, and the upcoming third season will adapt The Titan's Curse. The series has been renewed for each subsequent season ahead of its predecessor's premiere, with a third season renewal announced in March 2025.

Who plays Percy Jackson in the Disney+ series?

Percy Jackson is played by American actor Walker Scobell. He was cast in the lead role in January 2022, when he was twelve years old, matching the character's age at the start of the story. A younger version of Percy in flashbacks during the first season is portrayed by Azriel Dalman. Scobell's performance has been widely praised for capturing the character's sarcastic humour and heroic heart, and he leads the central trio alongside Leah Sava Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri.

Is the Percy Jackson TV series faithful to the books?

Yes, the television series has been praised by critics and fans for its faithfulness to Rick Riordan's source material. Author Riordan is directly involved as a co-creator, co-writer of the pilot, and executive producer, ensuring the adaptation respects the original stories. Each season adapts one novel, and the show maintains the core plotlines and character dynamics. Some changes have been made for the visual medium, such as modifying Chiron's disability and toning down Gabe Ugliano's abuse, but the spirit of the books remains intact.

When does Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 3 come out?

The third season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is slated to premiere on November 20, 2026. This season is based on the novel The Titan's Curse. The series was renewed for this third season in March 2025. The season will follow Percy, Grover, and Thalia as they join forces with the Hunters of Artemis to stop a looming threat to Olympus.

What awards has Percy Jackson and the Olympians won?

The series has won several Children's and Family Emmy Awards. Out of sixteen nominations across its first two seasons, it has won eight awards. These include the top award for Outstanding Young Teen Series, as well as awards recognizing writing and directing achievements. The show's critical acclaim also extends to positive reviews highlighting its worldbuilding, performances, and successful adaptation of the beloved book series, solidifying its reputation as a quality family adventure series.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-28.