The third season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is currently in production, with all the key players returning to bring The Titan’s Curse – the third novel in Rick Riordan’s bestselling fantasy series – to the small screen. There are several newcomers on the call sheet as well, including a Saturday Night Live alum who fans are sure to love. Kate McKinnon has reportedly joined the cast as a recurring guest star, playing the Greek goddess of love, beauty, and desire Aphrodite. It sounds like she might be somewhat of a meddling matchmaker, but fans are yet to see how relationships develop in the show’s sophomore run. According to Variety, the official character description for Aphrodite reveals that she “can alter her appearance depending on the beholder” and “must be sure that Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) respects the power and importance of love before she agrees to offer aid on his quest.” In the Percy Jackson universe, Aphrodite further develops the romantic subplot between Percy (Walker Scobell) and Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries), while also helping Percy to navigate the challenges that lie ahead, making her an important addition. McKinnon is known for her versatile character work and comedic performances, having gained widespread recognition for her lengthy run on Saturday Night Live. She has since starred in numerous films and television series, including the likes of Bombshell, The Spy Who Dumped Me, and Ghostbusters. She also recently starred alongside Margot Robbie in Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster hit Barbie, but it seems that McKinnon is ready to swap dolls for demigods and add another memorable character to her growing list of screen credits.
Percy Jackson’s Story Is Far From Over

Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie in Greta Gerwig’s BarbieWarner Bros. Pictures

Fans of McKinnon will have to wait a little while longer to see what she brings to the role of Aphrodite because the second season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, adapting The Sea of Monsters, isn’t set to be released on Disney+ until Dec. 10, 2025, nearly two years after the debut of the first season, which covered the events of The Lightning Thief. The show was renewed for a third season earlier this year, but no premiere date has been announced as yet. The next batch of episodes will follow the main crew on a treacherous journey across the seas to save Grover (Aryan Simhadri) and Camp Half-Blood, per the official synopsis:
“After Camp Half-Blood’s protective border is breached, Percy Jackson embarks on an epic odyssey into the Sea of Monsters in search of his best friend Grover and the one thing that may save the camp — the Golden Fleece. With help from Annabeth, Clarisse and his newfound cyclops half-brother Tyson, Percy’s survival is crucial in the fight to stop Luke, the Titan Kronos, and their impending plan to bring down Camp Half-Blood — and ultimately, Olympus.”
The main cast of Percy Jackson and the Olympians heading into the second season comprises Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson, Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth Chase, Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood, Daniel Diemer as Tyson, Dior Goodjohn as Clarisse La Rue, and Charlie Bushnell as Luke Castellan. However, the ensemble will expand further in the third season, as several newcomers have joined the adventure, including Saara Chaudry as Zoë Nightshade, Olive Abercrombie as Bianca Di Angelo, and Levi Chrisopulos as Nico Di Angelo. A fan-favorite MCU star is also onboard to play Artemis, another major player from the books. If the second and third seasons of Percy Jackson and the Olympians prove to be as successful as the first (which earned a positive critical reception and was a streaming hit), then there is a high chance that additional seasons will be greenlit to presumably allow the team to adapt the final two novels in the flagship literary series, The Battle of the Labyrinth and The Last Olympian. Riordan previously revealed that he is “guardedly optimistic” that the story will be given a full five-season arc and a proper conclusion on screen, but he also stressed that any further renewals will rely on one very important condition — so, watch this space.

Release Date

December 19, 2023

Network

Disney+

Showrunner

Jonathan E. Steinberg, Dan Shotz

Directors

Anders Engström

Writers

Joe Tracz, Andrew Miller

Franchise(s)

Percy Jackson & The Olympians

Walker Scobell

Percy Jackson

Leah Sava Jeffries

Annabeth Chase