Praise the gods: “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” drops a day early on Disney+

Praise the gods: “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” drops a day early on Disney+
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The first two episodes of the fantasy series are now streaming on Disney+.

The gods have smiled upon Disney+ subscribers: Percy Jackson and the Olympians is now streaming a day ahead of schedule.

The highly anticipated series stars Walker Scobell as the titular young hero — a middle schooler who discovers that the pantheon of Greek deities is real, and that he’s a demigod descended from one of the gods of Olympus. Adapted from Rick Riordan’s beloved series of young adult novels, the show’s first season will cover the events of the first book, The Lightning Thief, which sees Percy and his friends embark on a cross-country journey to find Zeus’ lightning bolt.

Leah Sava Jeffries costars as Annabeth, while Aryan Simhadri plays Grover. Glynn Turman, Virginia Kull, Jason Mantzoukas, and Megan Mullally all play recurring characters, while Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Lance Reddick, and Jay Duplass will guest star.

<p>Disney/David Bukach</p> Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson

Disney/David Bukach

Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson

After being locked out of the creative process on the two 2010s film adaptations helmed by Chris Columbus, Riordan told EW that he was given far more creative power over this TV adaptation. “I feel comfortable telling fans of the books who have been waiting — in some cases, decades — for this kind of faithful adaptation, that this is the one you've been waiting for. We are involved and I think you're gonna love it,” he said.

Riordan also indicated that he wants the series to be as inclusive and accessible as possible. "20 years on, it was important that I looked at it again with fresh eyes and made sure that the story was speaking to all kids, and that everyone could look at this series and see themselves. It is inclusive enough that everyone can be a hero — after all, that's why I wrote the book in the first place. My son, because of learning differences, was feeling like an outsider and this was my way of saying, 'It's okay. Difference is a strength. You're gonna be just fine. And you belong in this world.'"

The first two episodes of the series was set to premiere Wednesday, Dec. 20, but are now streaming on Disney+. The remaining six episodes of the show will drop on Tuesdays.

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