How the Percy Jackson series fixed the films’ mistakes
After two blockbusters which failed to give birth to a franchise, Disney Plus is resurrecting the little demigod with its creator Rick Riordan at the helm, to correct the mistakes of the past. The writer explains to us what has changed…
On paper, there was everything to make a biblical hit at the Harry Potter. Chris Columbus behind the camera, magical powers, a little boy tossed by life and all the Greek mythology to explore. But love at first sight did not happen. Percy Jackson remained at the foot of Olympus. After two small films and barely $400 million in revenue, Fox drew a line under the franchise.
Ten years later, here is Percy again on Disney Plus. A new opportunity to make the Greco-Rican hero a screen icon. So the writer Rick Riordan and his wife Rebecca have invested, so as not to repeat the same mistakes. “ Fans of the novels have been asking me since 2010 – since the release of the first film – for an adaptation that is closer to the books. Except that it wasn’t really up to me. », Tells the author to Première. “ Fox owned the rights to the franchise. And then Disney bought Fox and Percy. As the Disney group was already the publisher of the novels in the USA, we can say that it came home in a certain way… »
Rick Riordan thus regained control of his dear Percy. Having become a producer and co-creator, he was able to erase what had been (badly) done: “ The films aren’t really faithful to the books “, he asserts. And that’s why the movie saga failed at the time. According to the writer, the studio’s choice to make Percy Jackson a 17 year old teenager was the rotten plank on which everything was built.
In the Disney series, Percy Jackson at the age of 12. As in the books, he is a little boy who discovers the world. And that changes everything : “ This is clearly the major difference! It was essential that we start the story again with a 12-year-old child. Because in my novels, I tell the story of a boy who becomes an adolescent. It’s a tale that talks about how you find your place in the world at 12 years old, with your family, your parents, your friends. Percy seeks to understand who he is, how he defines himself. If we start the story at 17, then we lose a lot of the meaning! We lose part of the wonder, the magic that goes with it… Percy was almost already a man in the film! »
However, Riordan denies having made a children’s series, which would be aimed at an audience of kids: “ It’s a show about kids, not necessarily for kids. A bit like the movie ET if you want. There are few series or films with children in the leading roles, because the studios are afraid that adults will not be able to identify. Let us see it as a program for little ones. When in fact, we all remember what it was like to be 12 or 13 years old. »
Rick and Rebecca Riordan chose it themselves Walker Scobell (revealed in Adam Through Time). The young actor takes over from Logan Lerman And “ We are delighted with the result! Walker is Percy », rejoice the two producers, who can finally look forward to the future. The series has been critically acclaimed and Disney Plus seems the ideal playground for Percy to grow in length. “ Television is a much better medium for him. In 8 episodes, season 1 was able to cover the entirety of the first book, The Lightning Thief, in a much more precise manner than in the film. » We already understand the idea: one book per season. The literary saga already has six volumes…
Season 1 of Percy Jackson will end on January 30 on Disney Plus.
