Percy Jackson’s Zeus actor Lance Reddick is celebrating his casting in a new behind-the-scenes video from production of the Disney+ series.
With production having recently wrapped on the series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians‘ Zeus actor Lance Reddick is celebrating his casting in a new behind-the-scenes video. The upcoming Disney+ show marks the second attempt to adapt Rick Riordan’s fantasy novel series of the same name following the poorly received films from the early 2010s. Unlike the movies, Riordan has a close hand in the show’s development, helping co-write the pilot with co-creator Jonathan E. Steinberg, while also sharing frequent updates from the set.
Just over a week after he was announced to be in the show, Lance Reddick has taken to Twitter to celebrate his Percy Jackson and the Olympians casting.
The actor, who is set to play Zeus in the Disney+ series, took to sharing a BTS video in which he shows off the back of his chair from the set, which prominently displays the Percy Jackson and the Olympians logo, and his character’s name. Reddick also showed off his own excitement for the role with a funny and brief on-camera appearance in the video, which can be seen above:
Zeus’ Percy Jackson Role Explained
With the books taking major inspiration from Greek mythology, Zeus is a pretty direct adaptation of the biggest Greek god, as well as one of the Big Three Olympic gods alongside Poseidon and Hades. Zeus is first introduced, and primarily seen, in the debut novel The Lightning Thief, in which his lightning bolt has been stolen at some point prior to the start of the story and is causing tension amongst the gods. The book followed Percy as he sought to reclaim the lightning bolt and restore peace to Mount Olympus, while also further learning the nature of his demigod abilities and the Greek gods’ influence on modern society.
Zeus was previously brought to life for the first movie adaptation, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, where he was played by Game of Thrones alum Sean Bean. The film, which featured many other deviations from its source material, opened with the Greek god meeting with Poseidon, portrayed by Grey’s Anatomy‘s Kevin McKidd, and directly accusing his son Percy of stealing the lightning bolt and threatening to wage war among the gods if the demigod doesn’t return the bolt to Mount Olympus before the Summer Solstice. While Bean’s casting was met with some anticipation from viewers, the changes made to the book left a poor impression regarding his Zeus portrayal.
Reddick’s casting as Zeus for Percy Jackson and the Olympians marks another exciting chapter for the star in recent years. While the series itself was met with mixed reviews, Reddick’s turn as iconic villain Albert Wesker for Netflix’s Resident Evil saw much positive reception, while others eagerly await his return as Continental concierge Charon in both John Wick: Chapter 4 and spin-off Ballerina. Given his acclaimed work in roles requiring gravitas, Reddick’s turn as Zeus in Percy Jackson and the Olympians could be a stand-out upon the show’s 2024 premiere.
Source: Lance Reddick/Twitter
