On December 20, 2023, the first episode of Percy Jackson and the Olympians premiered on Disney +. The new series is the latest adaptation of the six-book series of the same name. Fans are excited for the continued development of the television show, and are eager to support the first reenvisioning of the stories in over ten years.

Rick Riordan, author of the series,  alongside his wife and a team of producers, aimed to produce a more accurate adaptation of the book series in comparison to previous projects. The last cinematic adaptation– Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013) —was poorly reviewed by fans and critics alike due to the drastic creative liberties taken during production. Many viewers felt the movie often strayed too far from the original plot to be enjoyable, and Riordan himself was not involved in the production for the 2013 motion picture or its predecessor, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief  (2010). Furthermore, Riordan has confessed that he has not even watched the movies.

In an interview, Riordan told Cosmopolitan “As adaptations, I don’t think [the movies] did a particularly good job. [sic] [T]hat is one of the reasons that we wanted to do an adaptation that I felt was a good reflection of what the source material actually is.” 

At the time of writing, the series consists of five episodes, with more on the way. So far, the show has been positively received by both fans and experts as a satisfying and exciting retelling of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Rotten Tomatoes’ “Critics Consensus” names the series: “A faithful adaptation of Rick Riordan’s novels, Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a lovingly realized odyssey through adolescence and myth.” As of January 2024, the show has an 85% “Audience Score” and over 1,000 ratings.

The new Disney + series has amazed longtime fans and newcomers alike with its refreshing retelling of the plot and high-quality production. Viewers with a now-reinvigorated love for Percy Jackson are eager to see Riordan’s next endeavors.