I suppose it's time to rekindle my unhealthy obsession with Greek mythology! One decade after the first theatrical release, Rick Riordan announced that the Percy Jackson books would be readapted into a TV series on Disney+.
I had almost forgotten the gut-wrenching feeling of disappointment I got when I saw the 2010 Lighting Thief adaption –– or the tragedy of that Sea of Monsters sequel... Or I just blocked out the memories...
There was a time I spent every night reading Percabeth fan fiction with hand-drawn fan art (I will accept no shame for this now). I still have a stolen copy of Battle of the Labyrinth from my school library, AR sticker still attached, sitting in my bookcase. I remember how long I spent searching for Camp Half Blood shirts online and the moment I realized that having a shirt did not mean I could go.
To me, the books had everything. They had magical creatures. They had history. They had fight scenes and family and romance and risk. And the best part was getting swept away into a world so similar but so unlike our own that I thought maybe… just maybe … I could be a half-blood demi-god too... Even though my dad was from central New Jersey, not Mt. Olympus.
The movie adaption left much to be desired. As beautiful and blue-eyed as Logan Lerman was to 11-year-old me, nothing could save the disjointed writing and unrealistic graphics. Like seriously, Percy's 12 in the books, but 17 in the movies? That should have been the first clue.
The new Disney+ version is supposed to closely follow the plot of the five books in the Olympians series. My one reason for hope? Riordan says he’ll be on board every step of the way.
But the questions are endless: will Annabeth be blonde? Will we actually get to see Clarisse? Ares? The sarcasm and humor that dominated the series? While we might have missed out the first time, the sheer potential of a Disney budget with Riordan’s world-building is reason enough for me to get excited.
Now, I just have to go re-read every word.
(And if you see me on DeviantArt looking at Percabeth drawings, mind your business).
Ava Loomar is Rowdy Magazine's Editorial Director. She likes red wine, jamming to alt-rock and staying up till 4 to watch Sailor Moon. You can reach her on her Instagram @whosava. If you're interested in writing for Rowdy, please email her at rowdymagazine.submissions@gmail.com