Hey everyone! I’ve been MIA for a while, but I had to rush to India for a family emergency. I’m finally back now though. So, if you’re a Percy Jackson fan (just like me), you’ve probably heard about the Disney+ series that was released on December 19th. Unfortunately, I don’t have Disney+ so I can’t watch it. But I can definitely share what I’ve heard about it. Let’s dive in!
We’ll start by talking about the Lightning Thief movie. I’d like to say that, if you like the movies, I have no problem with that and please don’t take it offensively. Same goes for the actors. Let’s start. First off, the actors were way too old. In the books, Percy’s 12 years old. Annabeth’s 12. And Grover is 24 years old but poses as a 12 year old. It’s complicated. So in the Lightning Thief movie, Logan Lerman is 17. He’s Percy. Alexandra Daddario is Annabeth and she’s 22. And Brandon T. Jackson (Grover) is 26. Close enough for Brandon but… the other are too old. No offence. In the books, the gods are a fun-loving (in a strange way) and they were normal-ish clothes. In the movie they were ancient greek clothes. But I have no problem with the clothing change. I was loving it. And Rick Riordan was not involved in the making of the movies. Then, they cut Clarisse and Mr. D. Then the Lightning Thief himself is missing. Ares was the lightning thief but he was nowhere to be seen. And the prophecy is also gone. Now, once again, I mean no offence. I liked a lot of things about the movies, like, they were depicting Percy accurately with the green/blue eyes and black hair.
On to the Disney+ version! The characters are the perfect age, don’t you think? Walker Scobell (Percy) is 15 years old, Leah Jeffries (Annabeth) is 14, and Aryan Simhadri (Grover) is 17. So, they’re all pretty close to the mark. Next up, the gods are dressed in regular clothes. I’m not quite sure how I feel about that, but hey, Rick Riordan and his wife are part of the show’s production. They have all the characters, but I’m not sure if Luke has his trademark scar. Now let’s dive into everything. This might take a little while.
First things first, let’s talk about Percy, because obviously he’s the star of the show! I reckon Walker would be spot on for playing Percy. I mean, he may not look exactly like him, but it’s all about that personality, right? From what I’ve seen in interviews, he’s got that wit and charm that Percy’s known for. Nice work, Walker! Now onto Leah Jefferies. She totally nails the role of Annabeth. I mean, she’s got the smarts and the sass that Annabeth is all about. Sure, she might not look exactly like the Annabeth from the books, but who cares, right? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s all about the personality. And Aryan Simhadri, I think he’s a great fit for Grover. I was watching some clips and there’s this hilarious scene where Grover dashes over to Sally’s beach cabin. The conversation that follows is just priceless!
Percy: Grover…
Grover: Percy. (turns to Sally) Ok, so something’s coming-
Percy: Grover.
Grover: And I know that sounds really bad.
Percy: Grover.
Grover: But the important thing is not to panic.
Sally: I’m not panicking.
Percy: GROVER.
Grover: Right, I’m also definitely not panicking. I feel very good about how we’re doing so far.
Percy: GROVER!
Grover: (annoyed, turns to Percy) What?
Percy: Grover, why’s there half a goat in your pants?
Grover: Oh. Oh! Oh boy, she didn’t tell you–(glances at Sally) You didn’t tell him about me?
Sally: (looks aggravated, close lipped smile) You’re early.
Grover: (stares at Percy)
Percy: (stares at Grover)
Grover: (on the verge of panicking) So…the important thing’s not to panic…
And, like, it’s so funny to watch, you know? The cast is just a riot. Every interview I’ve seen (does that make me sound creepy?) is pure hilarity. And can we talk about how perfectly they fit their characters? Okay, I might be dragging this blog on a bit too long, so let’s wrap it up. Calling all Percy Jackson fans: you gotta let me know what you think about the show. (And I’m also a tad bit lonely. I’m the only one in my friend group who’s read Percy Jackson. I don’t know how, it just is.) If you have Disney+, I totally recommend checking it out, like, it’s gotta be worth it, right? Anyway, we’re at the end of my blog now. Catch you later, reader. See you next time!
