Credit: Disney+The next season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians has its new lead.
After a false start in 2010 (sorry, Logan Lerman), Percy Jackson is finally getting the recognition it deserves. The series – penned by Rick Riordan – follows its eponymous hero as he discovers that he’s the son of Poseidon before being plunged into a world of other Half-Bloods, monsters, and quests.
With Disney at the helm, Percy Jackson and the Olympians stars Walker Scobell as the titular hero, Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase, Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood, Virginia Kull as Sally Jackson, Toby Stephens as the Greek god Poseidon, and the late Lance Reddick as Zeus.
Its first season premiered on Disney+ back in 2023 to hugely positive reviews from both critics and fans. While fans were overjoyed by the show’s faithfulness to Riordan’s original books (which isn’t hugely surprising, considering Riordan serves as an executive producer), critics were impressed by “some of the best casting ever in a television series, fantastic performances, and even the magic of the visuals and world-building.”
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Combined with the show’s stellar ratings (the first season was the most watched Disney+ original series with 23.3% of audience viewership until May), it’s no surprise that a second outing was quickly approved for Percy and friends.
This time around, the show will draw inspiration from Riordan’s second book in the series, “Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters.”
This follows Percy and Annabeth as they join Clarisse La Rue (Dior Goodjohn) and try to rescue Grover from the Cyclops Polyphemus – the monster famous in Greek mythology for being tricked by the hero Odysseus – and embark upon a voyage to seize the legendary Golden Fleece and save an ailing Camp Half-Blood.
Those who’ve read the books know that, amidst all the chaos, a pretty major character is introduced in “Sea of Monsters.” (If you haven’t read the books and don’t want to be spoiled, you may want to stop reading right now).
Tyson, a Cyclops who Percy innocently befriends after believing him to be homeless, appears in the book from the very first chapter before later being revealed as Percy’s half-brother.
While it’s unclear how closely the show will follow this storyline, it’s safe to assume that it will borrow all the major beats, just like the show’s first season did with “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.” The latest news from San Diego Comic-Con confirms this fact, with the actor set to play Tyson revealed at the event.
Walker Scobell and the cast react to the news of the latest #PercyJackson and the Olympians casting for Season 2 – Daniel Diemer, who will play Percy Jackson’s half-brother, Tyson.
Walker Scobell and the cast react to the news of the latest #PercyJackson and the Olympians casting for Season 2 – Daniel Diemer, who will play Percy Jackson’s half-brother, Tyson pic.twitter.com/jB6L33szUq
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) July 25, 2024
Daniel Diemer is officially Disney’s choice to portray the Cyclops. Rick Riordan confirmed the news via a video message at the show’s San Diego Comic-Con panel.
“Daniel Diemer’s enthusiasm and talent brings a whole new dimension to Tyson, and it’s going to be incredible to see him in the second season,” Riordan said. “I can’t wait for you guys to meet him and welcome him to the Percy Jackson universe.”
In another video message, Diemer told the crowd: “I’m thrilled and honored to step into the extraordinary universe of Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
Now, I’ve been a fan of the books since I was 10 years old, and it’s a dream come true to be a part of this and embark on such an exciting adventure with such talented cast and crew and, of course, passionate fans. I can’t wait to bring Tyson to life and to share his journey with you all.”
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Diemer previously served as the male lead of the Netflix film The Half of It (2020), as well as starring in the disaster film Supercell (2023) and the dystopian Amazon series The Man in the High Castle.
While it’s still unclear when we’ll get to see Diemer onscreen as one of the show’s new leads, it hopefully won’t be too long of a wait. The second season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians starts filming this week in Vancouver, making mid to late 2025 a safe bet for the show’s return.
Are you excited for the second season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians?