Fans of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson book series finally received a faithful adaptation with Disney+’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Now they can rest assured that the series will continue for a second season.
The first 8-episode season covers the first book in Riordan’s series, The Lightning Thief, following Percy Jackson’s (Walker Scobell) origin story as he discovers he’s the forbidden demigod son of Poseidon (Toby Stephens) and embarks on a quest to retrieve Zeus’ (Lance Riddick) Master Bolt to prevent the gods from going to war. Season 1 has received stellar reviews from critics and audiences for its book-accurate adaptation and wholesome, magical retelling of the story. Meanwhile, viewers are already likely thinking of all the moments from the other four books that they can’t wait to see adapted to live action.
The next book in the series is The Sea of Monsters, which will be such a fun story for live-action. It’ll be wonderful to see Riordan’s interpretation of Tyson, the Bermuda Triangle, the Golden Fleece, and hippocampi, especially since the movie version departed so far from the book it was hardly recognizable. Meanwhile, most readers agree that things really pick up by the third Percy Jackson book. Hence, season 2 is both a great story to adapt and necessary to get to the real high stakes and greater character development later in the series.
Is Percy Jackson and the Olympians renewed for season 2?
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Percy Jackson and the Olympians has been officially renewed for season 2 at Disney+. Disney Branded Television president Ayo Davis said of the upcoming season, “We’re thrilled to embark on an exciting new quest and a season two with Rick Riordan, our fantastic partners at 20th Television, and the exceptional ensemble of cast and creative talent that bring this story to life.” Meanwhile, Riordan also issued a brief statement confirming the renewal and its focus on the second book in his series. He stated, “I can’t wait to bring the next season of Percy Jackson to Disney+. Raise anchors. Hoist the mainsail. All hands on deck, demigods. We’re heading for the Sea of Monsters!”
Even before the official renewal, many anticipated a second season, given the show’s excellent performance. In addition to stellar reviews, the show has attained high viewership rates. It debuted at number 4 on Nielsen’s Top 10 and experienced a 22% increase in viewership in the weeks after its premiere.
Meanwhile, Riordan has confirmed he is already working on season 2 in the writers’ room, making it clear he’s planning for a multi-season series. Essentially, he and the writers were working as far ahead as they could before getting the official renewal. Several cast members, including Poseidon actor Toby Stephens, also confirmed they were ready and open to returning for season 2. Stephens noted that from the onset, he was told Poseidon would be a recurring character in potential future episodes or seasons.
Ultimately, the cast and crew were more than ready for Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2. Now that they have an official greenlight, they can jump right into production.
(featured image: Disney+)
