Disney+’s hotly anticipated adaptation ofPercy Jackson and the Olympianshas been building excitement since the series was initially announced, especially as the cast continues to expand. Recently,Varietyannounced that three new cast members have joined the show.Adam Copeland,Suzanne Cryer, andJessica Parker Kennedywill appear in the show in guest star roles.
Copeland is set to play Ares, the God of War. He is a wickedly handsome and arrogant character who thrives on conflict. He’s “an agent of chaos wherever he goes,” and is also not the smartest of the bunch. Fans may recognize Copeland as the WWE Hall of Famer “Edge.” Beyond wrestling, Copeland has starred in TV shows includingVikingsandHaven. He also starred in the featureInterrogation, which was released in 2016.
Cryer will play Echidna, the Mother of Monsters who is “dangerous, intimidating, and strangely maternal.” She will act as a test of faith for Percy, and she revels in her primary task of challenging heroes. Cryer has made the rounds across television in starring, recurring, and guest roles. She is well-known for her role as Laurie inSilicon Valleyand has appeared inAll Rise,The Fosters, and many more. Her next project is the moviePools, which doesn’t currently have a release date but is in the post-production stages.
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Kennedy will take on the infamous Medusa, a gorgon who was “wronged by the gods and bitter.” She lives in isolation and bides her time until unwitting travelers find her emporium. Despite her reputation for turning everyone to stone, Medusa still welcomes some people, but others aren’t so lucky. Kennedy is best known for playing Nora West-Allen/XS on The CW’sThe Flash. Prior to the show, she also starred inBlack SailsandThe Secret Circle, as well as movies like50/50. She can next be seen in the upcomingGood Bad Things, which is currently in the post-production stages.
Based on the bestselling series byRick Riordan,Percy Jackson and the Olympiansfollows its title character (Walker Scobell), a 12-year-old boy who lives a relatively normal life — until his teacher turns into a monster out for blood. After the incident, Percy’s mother breaks the news that he’s a demigod. She then sends him to Camp Half-Blood where he can be around other kids like him. While there, he learns more about himself and the mythological world turned reality. He soon finds himself at the center of a brewing war and, with the help of his new friends Grover (Aryan Simhadri) and Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries), he sets out to stop it before things get worse.
Additional cast includesMegan Mullally,Jason Mantzoukas,Virginia Kull,Glynn Turman,Tim Sharp,Dior Goodjohn,Olivea Morton, andCharlie Bushnell. Riordan andJon Steinbergco-write the pilot directed byJames Bobin. Executive producers are Steinberg, Bobin, Riordan,Rebecca Riordan,Dan Shotz,Bert Salke,Monica Owusu-Breen,Jim Rowe,Anders Engström,Jet Wilkinson, Gotham Group’sEllen Goldsmith-Vein,Jeremy Bell, andD.J. Goldberg.
Percy Jackson and the Olympiansis currently aiming for a 2024 release date, with filming abouthalfway done. Check out the first teaser below:
