Summary
Anticipation for Season 2 of Disney+’sPercy Jackson and the Olympiansseries is building as the series prepares to release its second season, although one familiar face, tragically, won’t be returning. Lance Reddick tragically passed away in 2023 and Disney has recently announced who will betaking over his role as Zeusin Percy Jackson’s second season.
Percy Jackson and the Olympiansis aDisney+adaptation of Rick Riordan’s young adult book series. The series in contemporary America where the gods and monsters from Greek mythology live in secret in the human world. After learning he is the son of Poseidon,Percy Jackson is taken to a school for demigodsand swept up in an adventure to return the master lightning bolt to his uncle, Zeus. The first season ofPercy Jackson and the Olympianswas a ratings success for DIsney+ and also scored positively with both critics and fans. Season 2 of the series is set to adapt the second novel in the series,Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters.
New Actor Joins Percy Jackson As Zeus
The character of Zeus is also included in the second season ofPercy JacksonandVarietyhas reported that following Reddick’s passing the character will be recast with Courtney B. Vance taking on the mantle of the God of the Sky. Vance has starred inThe People vs. OJ Simpson, The Hunt for Red October, Lovecraft Country, 61st Street,andGrotesquerie,to name a few. In a statement, Vance said he was excited to join the cast of the show and would be giving Reddick a “heavenly hug.”
I know that stepping into this role of Zeus will be a memorable experience, and I’ll be giving my brother, Lance Reddick, who left us way too soon, a heavenly hug.
Reddick had a short role inPercy Jackson and the OlympiansSeason 1, appearing in just one scene at the end of the season as Zeus, but his time was memorable with many fans praising the late actor’s portrayal. Earlier in the year, showrunner Jon Steinburg said (viaVariety) that it would be a “tall order” to fill Reddick’s shoes but that they would ensure the actor would be felt in “whatever that character is moving forward.” Co-showrunner Dan Shotz added in a statement following Vance’s casting that the actor “wanted to honor the books” and “honor Lance’s legacy,” with his work on the series.
Zeus Doesn’t Have A Big Role In The Second Percy Jackson Book
The second season sees Percy and Annabeth voyage into the Sea of Monsters to track down theirmissing friend, Grover. Zeus does not play a big role in the second book, which lends to the idea that Season 2 of the Disney+ show may include some new material featuring the character. Filming onPercy Jackson and the OlympiansSeason 2 is currently underway in Vancouver, with Vance joining new cast members Tamara Smart (Thalia), Daniel Diemer (Tyson), Timothy Simons (Tantalus), and Andra Day (Athena), alongside returning regulars Walker Scobell (Percy), Leah Sava Jeffries (Annabeth), and Aryan Simhadri (Grover).
Percy Jackson and the OlympiansSeason 1 is streaming on Disney+.
