Percy Jackson and the Olympians is making more changes from its source material. The Disney+ series, based on the best-selling book series of the same name by Rick Riordan, is no stranger to deviations from the original text, which has drawn mixed reactions from longtime fans. As the live-action adaptation gears up for its third season, set to premiere on Nov. 20, two of its stars have revealed that more changes are coming in the show’s highly anticipated upcoming season.
Walker Scobell, who plays the titular demigod and son of Poseidon, will be joined by series newcomers Levi Chrisopulos and Olive Abercrombie as Nico and Bianca DiAngelo, respectively. They will portray a pair of siblings with a connection to one of the series’ most powerful Greek gods. The season is set to adapt the events of The Titan’s Curse, the third book in Riordan’s Greek mythology saga, but according to a new interview, Percy Jackson Season 3 will include crucial changes to at least one of the two new characters.
While speaking with EW, who also released brand-new images from the upcoming season, Scobell revealed that Percy and Nico form a stronger bond than some might expect after the two meet during a harrowing mission that serves as the catalyst for the entire season:
“They’re a little bit closer than they are in the books. Nico reminds Percy a lot more of himself and how happy you could be in this [magical world]. I think it’s really easy to start to lose your optimism [when] you start to feel really negative feelings, and I feel like Nico is so positive, and he’s so happy, and everything is so interesting and cool to him, and I feel Percy likes seeing that a lot.”
Chrisopulos adds that Nico and Bianca’s relationship is paramount, noting that their bond and Nico’s determination to protect his sister drive Nico throughout the season. Chrisopulos also reveals that Nico and Bianca are “hyper-focused on each other because all they’ve known is each other their whole lives. Nico’s goal is to protect Bianca and keep her safe.”
Nico’s need to protect his sister mirrors Percy’s quests to keep his mother and friends safe in the show’s first two seasons. According to Scobell, Percy “really respects” Nico’s protective qualities because he identifies with them.
The two characters’ bond marks a divergence from the source material. In The Titan’s Curse book, Percy cares about Nico, who looks up to Percy as a hero. However, Percy often finds Nico’s enthusiasm and never-ending questions about the new world he’s entered exhausting and annoying, even though the two don’t spend much time together.
The change in Percy and Nico’s relationship in Percy Jackson Season 3 isn’t the only deviation from Riordan’s books involving Nico. According to Scobell, the new demigod will feature more prominently in the upcoming season than in the book it’s based on:
“He’s a bigger part of the entire season. Because it’s not [entirely] from Percy’s point of view. There are a couple times where we get to see what’s going on at camp, and how Nico’s doing, and how some of the other campers are doing. So you get to see a little more of Nico scattered throughout the season.”
Specifics about Nico’s expanded role remain under wraps, but the idea of a character who becomes extremely important in Riordan’s fictional world getting more screen time in his first outing raises exciting storytelling possibilities. If the changes made to Season 2 are any indication, the new scenes featuring Nico could deepen the character in unexpected ways and make for a stronger, richer story. Setting the character up properly early on could help solidify Nico as a major player as Disney+ continues to expand its Percy Jackson universe.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 3 premieres on Disney+ on Nov. 20, 2026.
- Release Date
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December 19, 2023
- Network
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Disney+
- Showrunner
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Jonathan E. Steinberg, Dan Shotz
- Writers
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Joe Tracz, Andrew Miller
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Walker Scobell
Percy Jackson
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Leah Sava Jeffries
Annabeth Chase
