Disney+ is giving Percy Jackson and the Olympians an early start on its future.
The streamer has renewed the series, based on author Rick Riordan’s quintet of novels, for a third season. The pickup comes well ahead of season two for Percy Jackson, which Disney+ says will premiere in December — two years after the debut of its first season.
“From the moment Percy Jackson and the Olympians debuted, it was clear this series had struck a chord with fans of all ages,” Disney Branded Television president Ayo Davis said in a statement. “With season two set to premiere this December, we’re thrilled to announce that Percy’s journey will continue with a third season. Huge thanks to our incredible cast and creative team, our partners at 20th Television, and our visionary and talented producers who continue to bring Rick Riordan’s world to life with such depth and imagination.”
The early renewal will allow the show’s writers and crew to begin work on the third installment, which, in turn, could potentially cut down on the time between seasons. That’s something co-showrunner Jonathan E. Steinberg said was on his mind in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“Part of wanting to keep the process going is trying to do whatever we can to be ready for it and to know how to have the conversations and to have a plan,” Steinberg told THR earlier this month. “… We assumed when we left Vancouver [where the series films] that we would be back at some point — soon, hopefully.”
Season three will be based on The Titan’s Curse, the third book in Riordan’s series, and introduce a fan-favorite character in Nico di Angelo, a young demigod who is new to Camp Half-Blood.
“We’re so grateful to be continuing the story of Percy Jackson on Disney+,” Riordan said in a statement. “This third season will be new territory for the screen, bringing fan favorites like the Hunters of Artemis and Nico di Angelo to life for the first time. It’s a huge sign of commitment from Disney, and speaks volumes about the enthusiasm with which the fandom has embraced the TV show. Thank you, demigods worldwide!”
The first season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is nominated for 16 Children’s and Family Emmy Awards (which will be handed out Saturday). The series also proved popular for Disney+, recording more viewing time (as measured by Nielsen) than any other show on the streamer outside the Marvel and Star Wars franchises.
Season two will star Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, Aryan Simhadri, Charlie Bushnell, Dior Goodjohn and Daniel Diemer. Other additions to the cast include Tamara Smart, Andra Day, Sandra Bernhard, Kristen Schaal, Margaret Cho, Rosemarie DeWitt and Aleks Paunovic, among others. Courtney B. Vance will play Zeus, taking over the role for the late Lance Reddick.
Riordan and Steinberg created the Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Steinberg and Dan Shotz are the showrunners and executive produce with Rick and Rebecca Riordan, Craig Silverstein, Bert Salke, The Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell and D.J. Goldberg, James Bobin, Jim Rowe, Albert Kim, Jason Ensler and Sarah Watson.
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