It was confirmed that Disney+'s upcoming Percy Jackson & the Olympians series would be present for a panel at D23. Specifically, this will come with the "Disney's Epic Entertainment Showcase: The Musical: The Extravaganza!" panel, alongside other projects like National Treasure: Edge of History and The Muppets Mayhem.
However, some fans have gotten in their heads that there will be casting announcements for the Percy Jackson series, which were only bolstered by appearances from Walker Scobell, Aryan Simhadri, and Leah Jeffries at D23 on Day 1. It didn't help that rumors suddenly appeared to reaffirm the wishes of these fans to find out more information about the show.
But, despite hope from fans and these rumors, a producer for the show has debunked any big announcements related to casting for the upcoming series at D23.
Big Casting Debunked for Percy Jackson Series
Producer Rebecca Riordan, the wife of Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan, confirmed on Twitter that while there will be a "surprise" that is "very special" related to the franchise. But at the swim time, she clarified - "to dispel rumors it is not casting news."
Yesterday, Ms. Riordan made a post about this same "surprise," which is likely related to the books and not the Disney+ production, as indicated by her giving a shoutout to the Disney Book Group, which also has a presence at D23.
However, it's still possible that this surprise is related to the show since Percy Jackson & the Olympians will have a presence at "Disney's Epic Entertainment Showcase: The Musical: The Extravaganza!" panel, which runs from 3:30 PM to 5:15 PM PT.
It could be as simple as the surprise being a confirmation for the release window of the show.
Keep Expectations Low for the "Surprise"
Considering that the "surprise," as Ms. Riordan puts it, seems to be related to the books, then it's maybe that the big news will be a special reprint of the original series in anticipation of the Disney+ show. It'd certainly be an excellent time to get those reprints out before Percy Jackson & the Olympians debuts on the service in early 2024.
It'd also explain why the lead stars of the series would be present at D23 to help promote the books, but again, it could just as easily be related to the series. Just not an announcement as big as casting, so fans will just have to keep their expectations in check.
For the moment, Percy Jackson & the Olympians is expected to release on Disney+ in early 2023.
