Disney+’s first season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians saw Lance Reddick take on the role of Zeus, the ruler of the gods who Percy (Walker Scobell) faced off with in his quest to stop a war between the gods from happening. Reddick sadly passed away at age 60 soon after production ended, and with the show coming back for a second season, Zeus had to be recast.
Doing so was no easy feat, but today Variety broke the news that Courtney B. Vance, whose previous credits include Lovecraft Country and Grotesquerie (pictured above) has taken on the part.
“The day we lost Lance Reddick, we lost an icon,” co-showrunner Dan Shotz said in a statement. “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.”
“I can’t tell you how excited I am to join the extraordinary cast of Percy Jackson and the Olympians!” Vance said in the same 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.”
The series, which is based on the books by Rick Riordan, is currently in production for season two, which follows the events from Riordan’s second book, The Sea of Monsters, but will also include elements from the third, fourth, and fifth books in the series. Vance joins new cast members Sandra Bernhard, Kristen Schaal, and Margaret Cho, who play the Gray Sisters, and Daniel Diemer, who plays Percy’s half-brother, Tyson the Cyclops.
The second season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is set to premiere on Disney+ sometime in 2025.
