Percy Jackson & The Olympiansseason 3 has already confirmed that it will change its production schedule from season 2 to avoid a common adaptation issue. The Disney+ series is a translation of Rick Riordan’s beloved novel series.Percy Jacksonfocuses on its titular hero’s struggleswith being a Greek demigod in modern America.
In 2023, the television series debuted on Disney+, withWalker Scobell taking on the role of Percy Jackson. The first season adapted the events of the 2005 novel,Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief, as Percy attempts to clear his name of crimes against the gods.Percy Jacksonseason 2 will follow onwith the second adaptation ofThe Sea of Monsters.
Percy Jackson Season 2’s 2-Year Delay Created A Problem With The Actors Aging Too Quickly
The Real-World Actor’s Aging Contradicts The Lore
Despite the best efforts of the crew behind thePercy Jackson & The OlympiansTV series, there was a noticeable gap between the productions of seasons 1 and 2. Despite being renewed only 8 days after season 1 concluded in February 2024,the second season did not begin filming until August of the same year.
Undoubtedly, Disney was waiting to see how the series performed before determining whether they would pick up the series for another season. Due to this caution, however,over a year had passed between season 1’s filming wrap and the renewal. The additional seven months further exacerbated unavoidable issues involving the cast.
AsPercy Jackson & the Olympiansis focused on a young cast of heroes facing challenges as they are growing up, it was inevitable that they would have to cast young stars like Scobell. What made thePercy Jacksonnovel appealing to readers was growing alongside the hero. Despite the mythology, his arc was still relatable to readers.
Furthermore, the novel’s story chronicled Percy’s life year by year, with Percy turning thirteen in the interim betweenThe LightningThief andThe Sea of Monsters. As such, the TV series is racing against the clock to keep to the source material. Unfortunately, actors age between filming, andthe core cast is noticeably older going into season 2.
ThePercy Jacksonfranchise isn’t unfamiliar with the struggles of an older cast. At the time of filming of thePercy Jackson & The Lightning Thiefmovie’s production,lead Logan Lerman was 17, leading to Percy being aged up to 16 years old. While Scobell being closer to Percy’s book age avoided this issue, another popular series has shown how other issues can arise.
Across its run,Stranger Thingshas also struggled with maintaining consistency between its cast’s real-life age and their characters' age. Including the upcoming season 5, the timeline will span over four years, from 1983 to 1987. Despite this, nine years will have passed in real time.
As such, while the coreStranger Thingscast were originally closer to their characters' ages when the series began, they have aged at just over double the rate of their characters, creating a dissonance between the two. In a series where audiences are meant to grow with the cast, a noticeably older cast can diminish any emotional attachment.
Percy Jackson Season 3’s Quick Production Turnaround Means It Won’t Suffer Season 2’s Age Problem
Season 3 Is Already Far Into Development
Despite the time between filming season 1 and 2, it is clear that future seasons ofPercy Jacksonwill avoid these pitfalls. Not only was season 3, which will adaptThe Titan’s Curse, renewed soon after season 2 wrapped production, but the season is expected to begin production in July. Casting for season 3 is also underway, asLevi Chrisopulus and Olive Abercrombie joined the production.
If season 4, which will likely bringThe Battle of the Labyrinth, were to follow this pattern, a renewal could be issued as early as alongside the release of season 2 in December 2025. Should the renewal come soon,Percy Jacksoncould easily assert itself as a yearly release for Disney+, taking the December slot in their streaming schedule.
Percy Jackson’s Team Is Thankfully Trying To Avoid More 2-Year Delays In The Future
The Cast & Crew Are Eager To Dive Back Into The World
Furthermore, the crew behind thePercy Jacksonfranchise has already shown an awareness of the problems that this extended production has placed on season 2. The cast and crew have previously acknowledged their awareness of how important watching the characters grow is toPercy Jackson’s central appeal.
WhilePercy Jackson’s future beyond season 3 isn’t guaranteedyet, Disney+’s quick season 3 renewal and the cast’s confidence do show the streamer’s commitment to the franchise. With the future ofStar WarsandMarvelon Disney+ in flux, the series is one of the service’s few mainstream fantasy titles at the time, making it an asset to the company.
Furthermore,Percy Jacksonfans had long wished for an adaptation of the series that would do the source material justice after the movies were both controversial and cut short after the second installment. So far,Percy Jackson & The Olympianshas proved itself to audiences, and it is clear everyone involved is aiming to faithfully capture the beloved epic.
Percy Jackson & The Olympians
A young demigod named Percy Jackson learns about his divine heritage and must navigate a world where Greek mythology intersects with modern life. Alongside friends from Camp Half-Blood, he faces mythical creatures, uncovers family secrets, and undertakes perilous quests to thwart ancient prophecies. The series intricately weaves classical mythology with contemporary challenges, exploring themes of bravery, loyalty, and self-discovery, captivating audiences with its rich blend of adventure and timeless legends.
