‘Percy Jackson’: Rick Riordan Reacts to ‘Titan’s Curse’ Finally Being Adapted
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The Percy Jackson movies ended after the Sea of Monsters sequel because of poor reception and box office performance. Now, the third book in the series is finally getting adapted for the screen 18 years after it was published in 2007. Disney+‘s Percy Jackson and the Olympians TV series began filming its Titan’s Curse adaptation on August 8. Author Rick Riordan tells TV Insider how it feels to finally see this book come to life before his eyes. Aryan Simhadri also tells us how it feels to be on set for Season 3.
Riordan is deeply involved in the creation of Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+. He wasn’t involved in the production of the two films at all, and he famously never watched them after reading the script for the first movie, The Lightning Thief. On the show, he’s credited as series co-creator, executive producer, and writer, and he’s on set for the third season as it films in Vancouver.
The author, a former middle school teacher, shares his reaction to seeing Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 3 being filmed, plus a hint at one of the first book scenes being brought to life. Book fans, you might be delighted by this one, as it hints at a key moment from the beginning of the story that lays the foundation for the Percy (Walker Scobell) and Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries) romance to come down the line.
“It’s unbelievable, honestly. I didn’t think we would ever get to this point,” Riordan tells TV Insider of watching Titan’s Curse be made. “I retired from teaching 20 years ago and thought I was done chaperoning school dances, but one of the first scenes we’re filming is a dance in an actual school gymnasium, so I guess I’m back on duty!”
How does Simhadri feel to be on set of the first-ever adaptation of this book? “Oh my God, incredible,” the Grover Underwood actor tells TV Insider. “It’s all I’ve been wanting to talk about, honestly. During Season 2 press, all I want to talk about is Season 3, but it’s just because I love the season so much.”
“I love the book. It was the one I read the most when I was a kid,” Simhadri goes on, “because it was the only book I had of the series, like personally owned a physical copy of, for a long time. So I would just sit in my room and reread it a bunch, and I ended up getting sick of it. And then when I had to reread it for the season, I was like, ‘Oh my God, I loved this book.’ And still do. Honestly, it’s still one of my favorite books in the series, so I’m very grateful that we got to come back for Season 3. Hopefully two more!” (There are five books in the original franchise.)
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 comes out in December on Disney+. While the cast was busy promoting Season 2 at San Diego Comic-Con in July, they still got to share some Season 3 teases, such as the castings for fan-favorite book characters Nico and Bianca Di Angelo.
Levi Chrisopulos and Olive Abercrombie will make their debuts as the children of Hades in Season 3. Dafne Keen and Saara Chaudry‘s castings as Artemis and Zoë Nightshade were announced on August 21.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Season 2 Premiere, Wednesday, December 10, Disney+
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