Critics have now delivered their verdict on the upcoming Disney+ show, Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Based on the books by Rick Riordan, the TV series is created by Riordan and Jonathan Steinberg. The first official reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, earning a 95% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans are pleased with this verdict, especially considering the poorly made movies that had left many disappointed.
Rick Riordan’s books previously received two movie adaptations featuring Logan Lerman as the titular character. The films faced harsh criticism for their poor adaptation of the source materials. A third movie, The Titan’s Curse, was initially planned but was eventually dropped.
Also Read: Percy Jackson & The Olympians (2023) Review: TV Worthy of the Gods
Fans Are Excited After Percy Jackson Gets Surprisingly Positive Early Reviews
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 1 opened with a 95% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the Critics Consensus deeming it as a faithful adaptation of Rick Riordan’s novels. This comes as a huge surprise because the first two films received rotten scores (48% and 42%) on the website. Fans were truly excited as they could finally witness a proper on-screen adaptation of their favorite book series.
‘PERCY JACKSON’ debuts with 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Read our review: https://t.co/f948huyV44 pic.twitter.com/JUxm1MK3rV
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) December 14, 2023
They couldn’t contain their excitement, with one fan expressing on X that the scores exceeded their expectations. Some praised the series for its impressive debut, while others expressed anticipation for its official release on Disney+. One fan even noted that the series has the potential to become something like Harry Potter, given the young age of the cast.
Interestingly, the first Percy Jackson film was helmed by Harry Potter director Chris Columbus. Other fans also mentioned the poorly made movies and shared that the movies didn’t exactly set a high bar for the series. They believed that any attempts would be far better than the movies. Some fan reactions read:
WAYY higher than I thought it was gonna be. Super excited for it!!
— CinemaBums (@Cinema_Bums) December 14, 2023
Great debut honestly
— MJ (@MJ__Hernandez) December 14, 2023
That’s what I like to see 🔥🔥🔥
— Lachesis (@LachesisHD) December 14, 2023
This show has the potential to be like Harry Potter level great growing with the cast tell the end!
— Alwaystayunique (@Alwaystayunique) December 14, 2023
Please be better than the movies
— Run. (@WeRunVT) December 14, 2023
I mean lets be honest the bar wasn’t really raised that high for them. I don’t think any other attempt could be worse than the movies
— C (@CDoGmAAn) December 15, 2023
The series adapts the first book in the series, The Lightning Thief. Percy, the son of Poseidon, teams up with his satyr protector Grover and Athena’s daughter Annabeth to find Zeus’ Master Bolt and avoid a war between Gods. Walker Scobell, Aryan Simhadri, and Leah Sava Jeffries play the three main characters.
Also Read: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: 5 Failed Franchises That Deserve a Second Chance at Revival
Critics’ Reviews Of Percy Jackson And The Olympians
The critical reviews also mainly highlighted the fact that the series has largely done justice to the books. Chase Hutchinson for Collider stated that it finally felt like “Rick Riordan [took] his story back”. ScreenRant’s Mae Abdulbaki praises the talented cast of the series for delivering some convincing performances.
Jessica Parker Kennedy’s Medusa received a special mention from Abdulbaki, as well as from Mashable’s Belen Edwards. The Wrap commended the casting of Scobell in the lead, who authentically grounded the fantasy show. The Daily Beast also praised Scobell’s co-stars Simhadri and Jeffries, who were “equally delightful”.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is set to premiere on Disney+ on December 20, 2023.
