Anyone who watched the new Netflix film The Adam Project could tell that the actor who played young Ryan Reynolds was going to be a star. What they couldn’t know is just how fast it would happen. That actor’s name is Walker Scobell and he’s just been cast as Percy Jackson in Disney+’s upcoming show Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Star-status achieved.
The show is based on a popular series of books by author Rick Riordan which were previously made into films in 2010 and 2013. However, this show wipes the slate clean of those, and restarts Percy’s story at the beginning, when a 12-year-old boy realizes he’s the son of a God and has special powers. He’s then accused by his uncle, Zeus, of stealing his lightning bolt and must go on an epic journey to find it and restore peace to Olympus. Basically, the story of the first novel in the series, though the show is expected to go on from there.
Production on Percy Jackson and the Olympians begins this summer with James Bobin (The Muppets) directing the pilot from a script by Riordan and Jon Steinberg (Black Sails). Steinberg will then showrun along with producing partner Dan Shotz.
And though this is the first bit of casting, it’s a very strong start. In The Adam Project, Scobell steals every scene he’s in. That means he outshines Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, and even Jennifer Garner. Simply put, he has a natural charisma about him that will certainly serve him well as Percy becomes a hero and a leader. Plus, read what the Disney+ press release says about his entry into acting. This will warm your heart. “When Walker Scobell was five, he learned that his favorite superhero Tony Stark—AKA Iron Man—was not an actual person but an actor playing a role. He decided right then that he wanted to become an actor. He said if he couldn’t become a superhero in real life, the next best thing would be to play one.”
Now, as Percy Jackson, he’s already achieved that dream.
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