Percy Jackson and the Olympians creator Rick Riordan recently confirmed Disney+'s upcoming live-action adaptation of his popular book series will start filming in June.
"We are due to start filming on June 1, assuming all goes as planned, and Becky [Riordan, wife] and I will be there from day one!" the author wrote in a new blog post detailing his 10-day trip to Los Angeles and Vancouver, BC, Canada, where pre-production on the Percy Jackson series has already begun.
In addition to revealing the series' start date, Riordan revealed some of the things he and his wife got to experience on their trip, including a visit to the Disney Studios in Burbank, California, for some "in-person chemistry read auditions for Percy Jackson."
"This means we brought together different combinations of young actors we had identified as interesting candidates for the roles of Percy, Annabeth and Grover, and had them read through scenes together to see how they interacted," he explained. "It was informative and exciting, and though we have come to no decisions yet, the process is moving along well. Seeing these actors taking on the roles in person made me appreciate once again just how talented and capable middle school kids can be when given a chance to shine."
Riordan also reflected on visiting Vancouver's Mammoth Studios, where they got a chance to check out some of the stages where the show will be filmed, as well as met the show's costume designer Tish Monaghan and production designer Dan Hennah.
"[Henneh's] office walls are covered with beautiful artwork of places you would recognize from The Lightning Thief: Mount Olympus, the Underworld, Aunty Em's, Sally Jackson's apartment, and many more, all done in a way that is true to the story, but also fresh and exciting," the author continued. "Dan Hennah, by the way, is from New Zealand, and spent the past few decades working on the Lord of the Rings with Peter Jackson, so Dan knows a few things about bringing magical worlds to life."
Riordan's latest update came about a month after the author confirmed Disney+ had issued a full series order for a television series based on his book series. "The wait is over, demigods," Riordan said in the announcement video. "I am thrilled to be the first to tell you that Percy Jackson and the Olympians is really, truly, and for sure coming to your screens."
Percy Jackson was previously adapted in the form of two films: 2010's Percy Jackson & the Olympians: Lightning Thief and 2013's Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters. The films starred Logan Lerman in the titular role, Alexandra Daddario as Annabeth and Brandon T. Jackson as Grover. The Percy Jackson series was first announced by Disney+ in May 2020.
Disney+ has yet to reveal a premiere date for Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
Source: RickRiordan.com