Percy Jackson’s young heroes are getting older, and the show is putting them through more than monster fights. Leah Sava Jeffries says season three is darker, with more of the demanding dramatic scenes she enjoys.
“I love playing the dark type of scenes,” the Annabeth actor told Variety at Lucca Comics. Aryan Simhadri, who plays Grover, said a scene requiring him to sob helped him discover how much easier crying on camera had become. Showrunner Dan Shotz said the cast’s growing maturity had opened up heavier material about loss and struggle.
Walker Scobell was more measured about Percy’s progress. With so much of his role spent receiving explanations or launching into action, he said the writing determined how much room he had to grow.
Simhadri said the scripts make minor changes to the books, but the cast learns Riordan’s stories thoroughly before filming so they can concentrate on the scenes.
The new season brings Rick Riordan’s The Titan’s Curse to the screen for the first time. When Annabeth is captured by Kronos’s forces, Percy sets out to rescue her with Grover and some unlikely companions. A captive goddess and the fate of Olympus complicate the mission.
Season three premieres on Disney+ on November 20. The first two seasons are already available on the service.
