The Failed Percy Jackson Film Adaptions

Cover+images+of+the+original+novel+and+its+film+adaptation

Cover images of the original novel and its “film adaptation”

Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a fantasy series written by Rick Riordan that follows the challenges Percy Jackson faces as a demigod (half-mortal, half-god) along with other characters such as Annabeth Chase and Grover. 

The series was made into two movies that were not well-received by fans– even Rick Riordan himself, who has never seen the films, noted, “I judge them from having read the scripts, because I care most about the story. I certainly have nothing against the very talented actors. Not their fault.” In other words, he doesn’t blame the actors for how the movies turned out, but rather the writers and creative directors who shut him out completely of the creative process.

 Unfortunately, the films’ storylines did not align with the books, the main reason why they were unsuccessful with Percy Jackson fans. Readers point out how although the movies were supposed to adapt the initial two novels, plot points from the finale were included instead. For instance, the main villain was fought and defeated in the Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters movie while the final battle of the ongoing war was not fought until the last book, The Last Olympian.

Although the movies were a letdown for readers of the series, there is still hope to see the characters and stories on screen. Rick Riordan has been working with Disney recently to make a new series that will be released on Disney+. This time, Riordan is very much included in the making of the series and casting– on April 11th, he announced the “new” Percy Jackson: Walker Scobell. Filming is confirmed to start on June 1 and streaming for the first episodes of the series is rumored to start in late 2022.