Production is well underway for the Disney+ series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” but two important roles have now been cast: Zeus and Poseidon.
Zeus and Poseidon
Zeus, whose lightning has been stolen in the first installment of the books by Rick Riordan, will be played by Lance Reddick. “In all his roles, Lance projects an aura of authority and power that makes him perfect for the king of Olympus,” Riordan said of Reddick. “As I told him when we met, he has so much gravitas he could pull planets out of alignment, and when he makes his displeasure known to Percy Jackson . . . wow, wait until you see that scene.”
Tony Stephens will play Poseidon, who is (spoiler alert) Percy’s father. “When we finally meet Poseidon toward the end of season one (just as we do in the book), Toby is incredible on screen,” Riordan wrote. “When he delivered some of Poseidon’s iconic lines, I got chills. And seeing him and Walker together, you can absolutely believe they are father and son.”
The two actors are pictured above on either side of Walter Scobell, who plays the titular Percy.
About “Percy Jackson and the Olympians”
The main protagonist, Perseus “Percy” Jackson, is a boy who discovers he is a demigod son of Poseidon. In “Percy Jackson & the Olympians,” Percy, who, according to Deadline, is “coming to terms with his newfound divine powers when the sky god Zeus accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt. With help from his friends Grover (Aryan Simhadri) and Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries), Percy must embark on an adventure of a lifetime to find it and restore order to Olympus.”
Lin-Manuel Miranda was also recently cast as a god on the show. His character, Hermes the messenger god, looks out for travelers and thieves but is also a trickster. Although he is very personable, he has a strained relationship with his son, Luke — played by Charlie Bushnell. Hermes is hesitant to help Percy and his friends on their quest.
Watch the teaser trailer for “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” below.
Previously announced guest stars Megan Mullally (“Will & Grace”), Virginia Kull (“Big Little Lies”), Glynn Turman (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”), Jason Mantzoukas (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), Timm Sharp (“Undeclared”), Dior Goodjohn (“Glee”), Olivea Morton, Adam Copeland (Former WWE wrestler known as Edge), Suzanne Cryer (“Two Guys and a Girl”), and Jessica Parker Kennedy (“The Flash”).
The series is currently in production in Vancouver, Canada, and is expected to premiere exclusively on Disney+ in 2024.
Check out our other stories about “Percy Jackson & The Olympians”:
- Rick Riordan Responds to Racist Backlash Around Annabeth Chase Casting for ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Disney+ Series
- Rick Riordan Announces ‘Percy Jackson’ Disney+ Series Will Have Eight Episodes, First Four Scripts Written
- First ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Image Featuring Percy, Annabeth, and Grover
If 2024 is a bit far off for planning your streaming schedule, check out a full list of everything announced so far for this year on Disney+, including season 3 of “The Mandalorian,” season 2 of “Star Wars: Visions,” season 2 of “Loki,” many productions from National Geographic, and more.
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