The “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series at Disney+ has added five new cast members.
Virginia Kull, Glynn Turman, Jason Mantzoukas, Megan Mullally and Timm Sharp are joining the series as recurring guest stars. The news of their casting follows the start of production on Thursday in Vancouver.
The actors join leads Walker Scobell, who is cast in the titular role, as well as Aryan Simhadri and Leah Sava Jeffries, who will step into the roles of Percy’s friends Grover Underwood and Annabeth Chase.
The series is based on the book series by Rick Riordan, telling the story of a 12-year-old modern demigod, Percy Jackson, who is just coming to terms with his newfound divine powers when the sky god Zeus accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt. With help from his friends Grover and Annabeth, Percy must embark on an adventure of a lifetime to find it and restore order to Olympus.
Mullally will play Alecto, a.k.a. Mrs. Dodds, Percy’s strict, irascible math teacher who may act monstrous at times, because she is. She’s one of the three Furies, known as Alecto, who loyally serves Hades, the god of the underworld.
Turman will play another of Percy’s teachers (who are really mythological creatures) — Chiron, a.k.a Mr. Brunner. Disguised as Percy’s Latin teacher Mr. Brunner, Chiron is the famed centaur and trainer of heroes who provides Percy with moral guidance when needed.
Mantzoukas is Dionysus, a.k.a. Mr. D. The irritable and sarcastic Mr. D runs Camp Half Blood, a camp for the demigods.
Kull will appear as Sally Jackson, Percy’s loving, protective and selfless mother. Sally raised her son knowing that one day she’ll have to give him up to the dangerous world of the Olympian gods.
Sharp will portray Gabe Ugliano, Sally’s selfish, brash, and combative husband as well as Percy’s stepfather.
Riordan and Jon Steinberg are writing the pilot. James Bobin will direct. The trio will also executive produce alongside Dan Shotz, Rebecca Riordan, Bert Salke, Monica Owusu-Breen, Jim Rowe, Anders Engström, Jet Wilkinson and The Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell and D.J. Goldberg.
The Disney Branded Television series is produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios. A release date for the series has not yet been announced.