December 20 marked the triumphant return of Percy Jackson to the screen, this time in series format. The literary saga, created by Rick Riordan, received a new adaptation after its big screen debut with Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, starring Logan Lerman (The Perks of Being a Wallflower). Disney bet big on this fantasy series, allocating an estimated budget of between 12 to 15 million dollars per episode, rivaling renowned productions such as The Mandalorian, the jewel of Disney+. However, the first episode of Percy Jackson exceeded expectations, reassuring the mouse company.
The impact was undeniable: the first episode of the series reached a staggering 13.3 million plays worldwide across Disney+ and Hulu in the first six days. While this achievement puts Percy on a prominent pedestal, it ranks close to previous hits such as Ahsoka, which slightly surpassed the mark with 14 million viewers in five days, and the second season of Loki, which garnered 10.9 million viewers in just three days.
It is relevant to note that, although this series is based on successful books, it is aimed at a younger audience, unlike Ahsoka and Loki, which are designed for a wider audience. The latter also benefit from belonging to the popular Star Wars and Marvel universes.
The plot follows Percy, a young man who discovers his lineage as the son of the Greek god Poseidon, taking him on a journey full of exciting challenges. The lead actors, including Walker Scobell (The Adam Project), Leah Jeffries (Beast), Aryan Simhadri (Twelve at Home) and Lance Reddick (Fringe), bring the iconic literary characters to life in this new adaptation. The first three episodes are now available for viewing on Disney+.
