A new head of the Greek pantheon just joined Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Variety reports Courtney B. Vance will officially take over the role of Zeus in season 2.
Lance Reddick originally played the god in the Disney+ series. However, Reddick died shortly after production wrapped on season 1. Now Vance will step in to portray Zeus in future episodes.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am to join the extraordinary cast of ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians!’” Vance said in a statement. “There are few moments in an actor’s career when you can honestly say that you’re about to board a series that has such a devoted fan base filled with characters beloved around the world and is based on a wildly successful book series. 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.”
Percy Jackson and the Olympians adapts the popular YA book series by Rick Riordan. The show tells the fantastical story of a 12-year-old modern demigod, Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon. Season 1 adapted Riordan’s first book, The Lightning Thief; season 2 will focus on the second novel, The Sea of Monsters.
Vance joins a cast which includes Walker Scobell (Percy), Leah Sava Jeffries (Annabeth, daughter of Athena), Aryan Simhadri (Grover, a satyr), and Tamara Smart (Thalia, Zeus’ daughter). Smart also joined the cast for season 2; other new additions include Andra Day as Athena, Daniel Diemer as Tyson (Percy’s cyclops half-brother), and Timothy Simons as Tantalus.
Vance’s TV credits include Law & Order: Criminal Intent, The People vs. OJ Simpson, Lovecraft Country, and Grotesquerie.
“The day we lost Lance Reddick, we lost an icon,” said co-showrunner Dan Shotz. “Getting to work with this fierce and gentle talent in one of his last roles as Zeus in Percy Jackson and the Olympians was truly awe-inspiring. I felt so fortunate to watch this man stand tall on Mt. Olympus, but more importantly I felt lucky to be able to call him a friend. Finding someone to step into this role going forward was not an easy task, but when icon Courtney B. Vance answered the call, we knew the Gods were listening. This legend of cinema not only wanted to honor the books, but wanted to honor Lance’s legacy. We can’t wait for you all to see him take the throne.”
Season 2 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is currently in production. It will debut on Disney+ in 2025.
Source: Variety
