The cast of Percy Jackson and the Olympians gave fans their first extended look at the upcoming third season last weekend at Disney's D23 convention in Anaheim, California. A new trailer and a panel discussion offered previews of what to expect when the show returns in November.
Walker Scobell, who plays the title character, was joined on stage during the Disney D23 Entertainment Showcase by Ming-Na Wen, who plays Hera, and Andra Day, who plays Athena. Together they presented a new trailer showing Percy fighting underwater and in arenas as a titan emerges.
The third season will adapt The Titan's Curse, the third book in Rick Riordan's series. It will be the first time that book has received a screen adaptation. The story follows Percy and his Camp Half-Blood crew on a mission to rescue the goddess Artemis, played by Dafne Keen. According to CNET, the ill-fated film adaptations from the 2010s only reached the second book before the franchise ended.
Scobell offered a broad tease of what viewers can expect. "Season 3 is the season where some people get what they deserve," he said during Saturday's panel. He also said there would be a significant amount of improvisation, with the cast now close enough to play off each other the way siblings do.
Tamara Smart, who plays Thalia, said her favorite scenes to shoot involved Olympus and moments exploring characters' pasts. "Season 3 is the season where women run it," she said. She also noted that her character spends considerable time frustrated with Percy. "She's 100% angry, 100% sad, 100% yelling at Percy," Smart said, adding that she apologized to Scobell after every take where she had to yell at him.
Keen, who plays Artemis, said the newcomers to the cast participated in a huntress camp where they trained together, learned as a group, and practiced archery. She kept her details limited but offered one line about the season's emotional core. "Love and loss inform all decisions," she said.
Saara Chaudry, who plays Zoë Nightshade, called the role the most meaningful work of her career. "Season 3 is the season where the stars align," she said.
Showrunner and executive producer Dan Shotz was more specific about what the season will include. "We have this great source material, and we get to dive a lot deeper… You're going to see all these great things you love from this book, but so much more," he said. He also confirmed that a fan-favorite character will return. "We cannot have a season of this show without Annabeth," Shotz said.
Executive producer Jonathan Steinberg added that not every character survives. "I'm excited for everyone to go on that ride shown in the trailer," he said. "The trailer doesn't lie."
The eight-episode season begins streaming on Disney Plus on November 20.
