If you’re anything like us, then you’ve watched the Percy Jackson trailer on repeat since it hit the internet and haven’t slowed down since. Let’s talk about some of the moments we’re most excited for.
It’s been a long, long road for Percy Jackson fans like myself who have been reading these books since the original Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and have wanted a faithful adaptation after being disappointed by the films back in 2010 and 2013.
Hope was restored when Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan announced he was in talks with Disney about an adaptation, but even that has been an arduous journey. But now, after four years, we’re moments away from seeing these characters come to life on screen in a way that is bound to honor the books and expand the source material.
Die-hard fans will know that Rick has been involved in the project from the very beginning and in every step along the way. As an executive producer, he’s one cog in a much larger machine working to adapt Percy Jackson for the small screen, but his voice holds a weight unlike anyone else’s. Despite his hesitancy to return to Hollywood after the movies bombed, Rick has been shouting from the rooftops about how faithful the Percy Jackson and the Olympians television show will be.
If I weren’t already excited, then knowing Rick approves of the adaptation certainly would’ve tipped me over the edge. As it is, I simply cannot wait to watch this series in the comfort of my own home, where I can replay it as many times as I want. The marketing has been phenomenal, and that has only bolstered my expectations.
The “We’ve Been Expecting You” teaser trailer premiered three months ago, giving us our first taste of what the show will look like. If you’re a fan of the books, then you were likely able to give some context to the various snapshots we witnessed. It was a great first impression, but after that, I knew I wouldn’t rest until I got more.
Thankfully, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians teaser trailer premiered about a month later. This gave us a more in-depth look at the show and started to weave a narrative that even non-book fans would be able to follow. It quickly became the most popular video on Disney+’s YouTube channel.
Finally, after plenty of hints across social media, the official Percy Jackson and the Olympians trailer was released, providing the best look yet at what’s to come. Monsters, demigods, and divine beings, oh my! If you want a full breakdown and deep analysis of all the promo material up until this point, then I suggest you check out Prophecy Radio episode #107 and Prophecy Radio episode #108 for exactly that.
But if you’re here for the tl;dr version, then I suggest sitting back, watching the trailer just one more time, and then scrolling through the top 10 moments from the Percy Jackson and the Olympians trailer that have me most excited for the show.
1. Azriel Dalman as Young Percy Jackson
One of the benefits of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians TV show is it will expand the world we discovered in the books, giving us scenes and perspectives we weren’t privy to by the time we met Percy at twelve years old. One of those additions will be in the form of flashbacks, featuring a Young Percy Jackson, played by Azriel Dalman.
One glimpse at Dalman, and you’ll be gobsmacked by how much he looks like Walker Scobell. They couldn’t have found a better kid for this role, not only in terms of his looks, but also his acting ability. By the time we meet Walker’s Percy, he’s a little cynical and a lot sarcastic, but Azriel’s Percy still has that wide-eyed childhood wonder at the world around him. The scene in the trailer that shows Sally explaining his namesake is a perfect introduction to both the character and this young actor, and I can’t wait to see more.
2. Blackjack
If you know anything about this fandom, then you’re aware that Blackjack is a fan-favorite character. He’s a jet-black pegasus (originally introduced as a mare, the fact of which has become an inside joke among fans—#transicon) who has dedicated his eternal existence to helping Percy after the young demigod rescued him in Sea of Monsters.
That’s right, Blackjack doesn’t show up until the second book in the series. You can imagine my surprise, then, when we spot him in the Percy Jackson trailer. They’re giving us Blackjack in season 1, and I am SO ready for it! We only see him on the rooftop of a building in New York City, and the trailer doesn’t provide further context for his appearance in Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 1, so I’m truly champing at the bit (see what I did there?) to see how he’ll be incorporated into the story.
3. Chiron giving Riptide to Percy
For those unfamiliar with the story, the passing of a pen from teacher to student will be of no great importance. For those of us in the know, however, we’re aware that looks can be deceiving. In fact, Mr. Brunner is none other than the immortal Chiron, the greatest of all demigod trainers. And that pen is actually a sword named Riptide.
Riptide becomes Percy’s constant companion thanks to a little trick in which the sword will always return to his pocket in the form of a pen. The Percy Jackson trailer doesn’t linger on this moment, but we know how significant it is for the demigod’s journey and future adventures. And all of this is accentuated by Stealth’s haunting cover of Vance Joy’s “Riptide.”
4. Percy Jackson’s trademark humor
If you’ve read a single Percy Jackson book, then you know this series is full of action, adventure, heart—and plenty of humor. The target audience for these books is made up of middle schoolers with ADHD, which means the jokes need to come fast and frequent to hold the attention of the series’ readers. Thankfully, the official Percy Jackson trailer gave us a sneak-peek at what we can expect in this department.
One of my favorite parts was when Percy is testing out his archery skills, and he manages to trip and fall while launching an arrow, sending his fellow campers diving for the ground. “Should I try again?” he asks. The entire cohort screams, “NO!” This genuinely made me laugh, as did the line later on when he thinks he might not need a sword—and then very quickly changes his mind. It’s great knowing that the series has retained the comedy of the source material, and I expect it will delight viewers of all ages.
5. The security guard at the Empire State Building
This one may be a little niche, but I got so excited when we saw the Empire State Building security guard show up in the middle of the trailer. This is likely from the Percy Jackson and the Olympians finale (or, possibly, the penultimate episode), when Percy is delivering the master bolt to the gods in order to prove he wasn’t the one to steal it in the first place.
The Empire State Building guard is another one of those characters that the fandom has become obsessed with over the years. He appears to be mortal, but we don’t know his true nature. He’s quite obviously aware of the magical world, but does he have a purpose other than guarding the entrance to Mount Olympus? Perhaps a future book will give us those kinds of answers. In the meantime, I’m curious if he’ll be caught reading a novel like we see in The Lightning Thief, and which one will have garnered his attention. Could it be one of Rick’s, or perhaps even one from Rick Riordan Presents?
6. The Capture the Flag scene
One of the most anticipated scenes in all of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is the Capture the Flag game the demigods play soon after Percy arrives at Camp Half-Blood. As fun as it may be, this game is deadly serious and can result in bodily harm. As someone who has yet to hone his battle skills, Percy finds himself in a precarious situation as he faces off against Clarisse and her cohorts.
There are so many reasons why I’m excited for this particular scene. For one, we get a great look at how cunning Annabeth is, as she’s the one who develops the strategy to win the game. Throughout the other trailers, we’ve also gotten glimpses of the skirmishes that take place during the battle, and I have to say that I’m already impressed with the fight choreography and the ability of the various kids to make these scenes look real and punishing. Perhaps most importantly, the end of Capture the Flag also results in Percy’s claiming, which we got a glimpse of in the TV spot, which is undoubtedly also a favorite among many fans.
7. Annabeth’s invisibility cap
Like Riptide, Annabeth’s New York Yankees cap is iconic. It may look like a normal baseball hat, but considering it was a gift from Athena herself, you can imagine that there’s more than meets the eye where this particular garment is involved. In fact, when Annabeth places the cap on her head, she goes completely invisible!
It’s nice to get an on-screen version of Annabeth’s hat, and the visual effects showing her disappearing are both crisp and fluid. It’s such a quick and simple moment, and yet it has greater implications. We know Annabeth will use her cap to the trio’s advantage time and time again, and it also shows audiences that there are powerful magical items within this world. It gives us a sense of that otherworldliness that we’re expecting when we see Percy cross the border into Camp Half-Blood whereupon he enters a whole new universe.
8. The Minotaur, the chimera, and Cerberus, oh my!
One of the biggest unknowns going into this show was the quality of the CGI. Television doesn’t have the strongest track record where that’s concerned, but this is Disney after all. Shows like The Mandalorian have gotten a ton of praise thanks to new innovations like The Volume, which Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 1 has also implemented.
Thankfully, the Percy Jackson trailer proves that we have nothing to worry about. The visual effects all look incredible, particularly where the monsters are concerned. We’ve already gotten up-close-and-personal with the minotaur, the chimera, and Cerberus, and that’s more than enough to prove this show will look fantastic. I have a soft spot for the latter (Percy’s holding the red ball!), but the chimera has really impressed me. The 2010 Lightning Thief film famously disregarded Echidna and the chimera for the hydra, so it’s nice to finally see it on screen.
9. The Lotus Hotel and Casino
Another hugely anticipated scene is when the trio ventures into the Lotus Hotel and Casino. First and foremost, the hotel itself is an interesting concept, as it traps visitors by making them forget how much time has passed since they’ve arrived. As a result, there are people who have been there for decades, including a pair of very famous demigod siblings—Nico and Bianca di Angelo. While these two characters have not been cast yet, a lot of fans are hoping we’ll get some sort of reference to them in the background of this scene, even if it’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment.
Perhaps even more importantly, the Percy Jackson trailer revealed that the trio will be meeting Hermes in the Lotus Hotel and Casino. This is a departure from the books, as we don’t initially meet Hermes until the second book in the series, Sea of Monsters. With Lin-Manuel Miranda portraying the god of travel, thieves, and about a million other things, there is sure to be lots of anticipation when it comes to his mysterius role in this season of the show.
10. Virginia Kull as Sally Jackson
While these moments from the Percy Jackson trailer were in no particular order, I do feel as though I’ve saved the best for last. Sally Jackson’s role in the original books (and beyond!) cannot be understated. When she disappears in front of Percy’s eyes, he sets off on a journey that he cannot come back from. She’s a driving force for his motivations throughout The Lightning Thief, and her presence in his life in subsequent books provides him with the support he needs to navigate his newfound existence as a demigod.
We’ve gotten various clips of Virginia Kull as Sally Jackson in several teaser videos over the last couple months, and I’m absolutely convinced she’s the best person for the job. I had my own thoughts on who I wanted to portray Percy’s mom in the series, but I’m a hundred-and-ten percent on board with who they chose. It’s already so easy to tell that she’s bringing both strength and vulnerability to the character, giving Percy room to express his hopes and fears while showing him how to stand tall no matter what life throws at either of them. It’s going to be quite the experience to see all their moments play out on screen.
‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ premieres on December 20 on Disney+
I’ll be covering every aspect of the series both on Subjectify Media, in print form, as well as on Prophecy Radio, in podcast form. Over the next several weeks, you can expect information via the various press conferences we attended, in-depth discussions of each and every episode, and opinion pieces based on aspects of the show that pique our interests. Here’s to much, much more coming soon!
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