Disney has a Christmas surprise in store for fans of Rick Riordan’s “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series. The show has been released on Disney+ and Hulu a day earlier than its originally scheduled premiere on December 20.
This adjustment follows another update to the release strategy, where it was revealed last week that the first episode would debut on both Hulu and Disney+, available for streaming until January 31. Currently, the first two episodes are accessible on Disney+, while the initial episode can be found on Hulu. Subsequent episodes will be released weekly on Disney+ until the Season 1 finale on January 31.
Pamela Levine, Head of Marketing at Disney Branded Television and National Geographic Content, expressed gratitude to the dedicated Percy Jackson fans and acknowledged their anticipation for the project. As a special thank you, the decision was made to allow fans to enjoy the first two episodes a bit earlier than originally planned.
The Percy Jackson fanbase has eagerly anticipated the series, especially considering the history of dissatisfaction with the previous film adaptations. Rick Riordan introduced the first book in the “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series in 2005. Despite 20th Century Fox adapting the initial two books into movies in 2010 and 2013, changes to the plot and Riordan’s disapproval of the films led to their unpopularity. Notably, the concluding three books of the series have never been brought to the screen.
In a departure from the previous adaptation, Riordan is actively involved as a writer and executive producer for the Disney+ series. The plan is to produce five seasons, each corresponding to one of the five books in the series.
During a Percy Jackson cover story interview with Variety in October, Karey Burke, President of 20th Television, expressed the studio’s commitment to incorporating “all” of Riordan’s works in the Percy Jackson universe, which extends beyond the original five books. Despite Riordan’s previous challenging experience with the movie adaptations, Burke highlighted his expansive vision for his work and emphasized his openness to adapting other series within the same universe.
Source: Variety
