There’s One Good Reason Percy Jackson Is More Important For Disney Than Star Wars Or The MCU

The Percy Jackson and the Olympians books are incredibly popular, but the movies made in the early 2010s weren’t well-received by fans or author Rick Riordan. However, the recent TV series remake by Disney has been a huge success. With a strong first season already released, the second season is about to premiere, and a third is already planned, making it one of Disney+’s biggest hits. While Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe remain Disney’s biggest franchises, Percy Jackson is currently performing even better.

It’s not about how much the show cost, its size, or how flashy it is. The real reason this is a big deal is that Disney has finally launched a completely new, successful franchise. Unlike Marvel or Star Wars, Percy Jackson isn’t based on existing material – it’s not a sequel, spin-off, or continuation of anything old. This is Disney’s first attempt to create a brand new universe from scratch, one that can expand naturally and thrive independently. And right now, when Disney is heavily relying on revisiting its past successes, that’s incredibly important.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Is Disney’s Gold Mine Right Now

Disney is increasingly reliant on its biggest franchises – Marvel, Star Wars, and remakes of its animated films – and it’s starting to limit the company’s creative potential. While Disney+ was initially presented as a platform for innovation six years ago, it has largely become another source for sequels, prequels, and spin-offs. In contrast, Netflix is actively investing in original content and developing new franchises, such as the promising series KPOP Demon Hunters, demonstrating a commitment to fresh ideas that Disney currently lacks.

That’s what makes the Percy Jackson series stand out. It launched at the end of 2023 and quickly became popular, racking up 13 million views in less than a week, earning positive reviews from both viewers and critics, and satisfying longtime fans of the books. After several unsuccessful movie adaptations, Disney finally captured the right feel for the story—and that’s a significant achievement. The show successfully stays true to the source material without talking down to its audience, striking a great balance between adventure, comedy, and emotional depth. It appeals to both dedicated fans and newcomers discovering the world of Percy Jackson.

What truly sets Percy Jackson apart from franchises like Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is when it arrived. Both Disney giants are starting to show signs of wear and tear, and audiences are noticing. While Marvel has had some recent successes with films like Deadpool & Wolverine and the announcement of Fantastic Four: First Steps, it hasn’t fully recovered from a years-long slump. Star Wars still has potential, but it’s stuck in a cycle of good and bad releases – for every hit like The Mandalorian, there’s a miss like The Book of Boba Fett. The franchise struggles to balance honoring its existing fans with trying to innovate. Percy Jackson, however, doesn’t have those same pressures. It doesn’t need to worry about 40 years of established story or a pre-planned multi-film arc. It’s a new story, connecting with a new audience, and has a lot of potential for future growth.

Disney desperately needs some fresh ideas. The studio has become too focused on sequels and rehashes of old favorites, and it’s lost its ability to create original content. The success of Percy Jackson proves there’s still creativity within Disney, but only if they’re willing to move beyond what’s already been done. The series isn’t groundbreaking, and it doesn’t need to be—it simply demonstrates that a good story, well-executed, can still capture an audience without relying on nostalgia. This is particularly important now, as audiences are growing tired of Disney’s constant stream of live-action remakes.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Has All the Right Ingredients for Long-Term Success

A key reason why Percy Jackson is so promising is that it’s attracting teenage viewers – a group Disney has struggled to reach lately. While younger audiences aren’t as enthusiastic about the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Star Wars as previous generations, they’re looking for stories with relatable characters, humor, and a fresh take on mythology. Percy Jackson hits all those marks. It’s engaging, enjoyable, and still manages to be meaningful. The show’s success is largely due to author Rick Riordan’s close involvement, ensuring the story feels genuine – something that’s often missing when studios prioritize profits over creative vision.

While Percy Jackson hasn’t become as widely popular as Disney’s biggest franchises yet, that’s actually a good thing. It means the show has plenty of potential for future growth, unlike Marvel and Star Wars, which have largely reached their peak in terms of surprising audiences. Those established franchises will continue to be successful, but Percy Jackson is just beginning—and it’s off to a great start, judging by how many people are watching. This is precisely the kind of fresh foundation Disney needs to remain competitive for years to come.

Beyond the creative benefits, Percy Jackson is also a smart financial decision. With Marvel projects costing huge sums of money and not always performing well, Percy Jackson offers a more reliable investment with a strong potential for audience engagement. The show has the potential to run for many seasons, generate merchandise sales, boost book sales, and expand into other formats – all without the need for an enormous budget. Essentially, it’s a franchise Disney can maintain profitability with, unlike some of their more expensive ventures.

What’s more, the show demonstrates that Disney can still create compelling, original stories—a welcome change from relying on familiar franchises. This makes Percy Jackson even more significant than Star Wars or the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While those properties remain popular, they’re largely focused on continuing existing storylines. Percy Jackson, however, offers a fresh start—a rare instance of Disney successfully building something new that’s both relevant and financially promising. In a world fixated on the past, that’s a remarkable achievement.

Disney should pay attention to the success of Percy Jackson – it’s a model for the company’s future. To continue growing, Disney needs to build new stories and worlds, rather than constantly relying on familiar franchises. In a market saturated with Star Wars and superheroes, the positive reception to a genuinely new series like this is a very encouraging sign for Disney. Now, they just need to nurture it and avoid making any major mistakes.

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2025-11-11 01:45