Percy Jackson and the Olympians fans have finally gotten their long-awaited TV adaption — and Disney+ has found its perfect cast.
The series, which is based on author Rick Riordan’s book series of the same name, was first teased in May 2020. Riordan later confirmed the news in a January 2022 video announcement shared via Disney+.
“The wait is over, demigods,” he shared at the time. “I am thrilled to be the first to tell you that Percy Jackson and the Olympians is, truly, and for sure coming to your screens. the smart folks at Disney+ have given us the green light.”
The book series — which consists of five novels published between 2005 and 2009 — introduced fans to a 12-year-old Percy Jackson, a Demigod who discovers that he’s the son of the Greek god of the sea, Poseidon. (The story was previously adapted into a film and subsequent sequel starring Logan Lerman, a franchise that has been widely criticized by fans.)
Less than one month after confirming that Percy Jackson would be hitting the small screen, Disney+ revealed that Walker Scobell would take on the role of the titular character.
“Walker Scobell is an incredibly talented young man who blew us away with his audition tapes for the role of Percy,” Riordan wrote via his blog at the time. “It was obvious to me and the rest of the team that Walker had the perfect mix of comedic timing, sweetness, rebelliousness, snark and heroism to embody our hero Percy Jackson. … He is going to surpass your highest expectations from the very first line of the show.”
Next came Leah Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri, who portray Percey’s confidants Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood, respectively.
“Heroes in the making. 🗡⚡️🐐 Meet Annabeth, Percy, and Grover,” the official Disney+ Instagram account wrote in May 2022. Riordan, meanwhile, wrote via his website that Simhadri “won” the “hearts” of the casting room, leaving the author “laughing out loud with his delivery and timing.”
Jeffries, for her part, was Riordan’s “number one choice for Annabeth” after she first read for the role. Leah is exactly the way I imagined [her] in the books: smart, strong and courageous, a true daughter of Athena who has zero patience for the foolishness of a certain Seaweed Brain,” he gushed. “Watching her act with Walker and Aryan, I saw Annabeth Chase come to life.”
The 8-episode series officially premiered in December 2023, with Disney+ releasing the first two installments before adhering to a weekly release schedule for the rest of the season. In its first week, the show brought in a whopping 13.3 million viewers, making it an instant hit among fans.
New episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians air Tuesdays on Disney+.
Keep scrolling to meet the entire cast of the hit Disney+ series: