In a list of book series that have left lasting marks in recent memory, Percy Jackson & the Olympians absolutely deserves a spot. Modernizing the Greek mythos with lovable characters and humorous writing, it has captured the hearts and imaginations of readers the world over. And with a fanbase as passionate as this one, it’s no surprise the film adaptations sparked ire when they steered off course from the source material, altering or completely cutting integral sections of the story. The backlash to these films was so great that after the release of 2013’s Sea of Monsters, planned sequels for the remaining three novels were canned.

Most of the issues with these films can be attributed, at least in part, to the fact that series author Rick Riordan was allowed zero creative input in the journey his characters and storylines took from written word to the big screen. Thankfully, with the new Percy Jackson Disney+ series on the horizon, Riordan has assured fans young and old that he has been heavily involved in the show’s direction. In fact, he looks positively pleased as punch in his video announcing the official green lighting of the project. If this wasn’t cause enough for readers to feel optimistic, season one is also meant to focus solely on The Lightning Thief, the first book in the Percy Jackson series. This means the plot can unfurl over the course of multiple episodes, rather than limiting itself to a single film.

We have a lot to feel excited about, and fans no doubt have many things they’re hoping Disney gets right. Looking ahead, let’s consider what a few of these points may be.

Characters That Look Their Ages

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters Photo 3
20th Century Fox

One of the most obvious problems with the films was that while our book characters are meant to be children – with Percy himself celebrating his twelfth birthday at the start of the story – their actors all had the faces of high school and college students. For reference, Logan Lerman, who played Percy, was 17 while The Lightning Thief was being shot. Similarly, Alexandra Daddario played 12-year-old Annabeth Chase at the age of 22. In a universe that already blurs the lines between fiction and reality, being told a character is 12 years old while they look like they just started their first year of college is more than a little immersion-breaking.

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As the casting process gets underway, making sure actors actually look our favorite characters’ ages should be a key concern.

Necessary Plot Details

LOGAN LERMAN
20th Century Fox

While it is to be expected that, to save on time or money, elements of a story will be cut or changed when adapting from page to screenplay, there is a difference between trimming fat and taking entire chunks from the narrative. In the case of Percy Jackson, a primary complaint is that the film reduced the plot to a series of fetch quests, removing some of the more interesting and nuanced aspects of character interactions and motivations. For example, the removal of Ares. In the novel, Percy and his companions come to believe that this Greek god of war is the main conspirator behind the theft of Zeus’s lightning bolt, the event that kickstarts the plot’s main events. This serves the purpose of drawing reader attention away from the true mastermind, and sets us up for a compelling twist. Therefore, its removal from the film could be considered a major drawback.

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Speaking of that aforementioned true mastermind, Luke’s antagonist reveals another point of contention in book versus film. In the movie, he unveils his true intentions during a final fight scene with Percy, and if you watched with zero clue as to what happens in the books, it would be easy to assume he’s killed off. The original scene is far more shocking, only taking place after Percy has finished his quest and returned to his fellow demigods a triumphant hero. Luke’s grand exit involves tricking Percy into a sense of safety before nearly killing him with a giant scorpion and disappearing without a trace. It is an excellent cliffhanger that establishes tension for all the adventures Percy finds himself on next, and is something we can hope the television show delivers on.

Focus More on ADHD and Dyslexia

In the world of Percy Jackson, demigods are all born with ADHD and dyslexia. The former is explained in-universe as demigods being restless warrior spirits, always more comfortable accepting quests and slaying monsters than sitting still. As for dyslexia, demigods are better suited to reading Greek symbols, with all other languages being far more challenging to comprehend. These neurodiversities were included in the series for a real-world purpose: Rick Riordan wanted his son, Haley – who has ADHD and dyslexia – to see himself represented in a positive light through literature. What better way to do that than create an entire summer camp of kids with unique magic powers and combat skills? Whether we’re discussing the series or the character himself, Percy Jackson does a lot to help neurodiverse kids feel included and capable.

While the film touches briefly on these realities of Percy’s life, it doesn’t devote any significant amount of time to it. If the Disney+ series could find ways to explore and accurately represent the ADHD and dyslexia that all demigods live with, it would go a long way to ensure generations old and new can see themselves reflected on a screen. With Riordan providing his guidance, we can hope that this will be the case.