Warning! This article contains spoilers for Percy Jackson and the Olympians episodes 1 and 2.

Summary

• Rick Riordan's cameo in the first episode of Percy Jackson and the Olympians shows his direct involvement and enthusiasm for the new show.
• Fans of the book series may see Riordan make future cameos in subsequent seasons, similar to Stan Lee's appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
• While there is hope for a cameo from original Percy Jackson actor Logan Lerman or Annabeth actor Alexandra Daddario, the show's direction indicates that it is unlikely.

The Percy Jackson & The Olympians episode 1 cameo caught by eagle-eyed fans is being explained by two key creatives. Written by Rick Riordan, the Percy Jackson & The Olympians novel series has been adapted into a live-action Disney+ show, starting with the adaptation of book 1, "The Lightning Thief," into season 1. Starring Walker Scobell as Percy, Aryan Simhadri as Grover, and Leah Jeffries as Annabeth, the show aims to be more faithful to the books than the previous 2010 film adaptation, which is facilitated by Riordan's direct involvement with the new show, which even extends to a surprise cameo from the author in episode 1 as an unnamed teacher at Yancy Academy.

During a conversation with ComicBook.com, star Glynn Turman, who plays Chiron, and producer/co-showrunner Dan Shotz discussed Riordan's cameo in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Though the duo were excited by the author's inclusion within the show, they revealed that the amount of time required for the scene saw Riordan disinterested in making another appearance. See what Turman and Shotz had to say below:

Glynn Turman: His enthusiasm was very catching. He was on the set most of the time. You could see his mind clicking in of what's next. How is this going to transfer? What is this going to link? He was really into it, like, 'What's happening next season?' He's really on top of it and we had a wonderful time.



Dan Shotz: He had to sit there all day. I think he said, 'This was a lot of fun, but I'm good.'

What Other Cameos Can Percy Jackson Fans Expect?

While Riordan showed up surprisingly early in the show's run, it's possible that fans of the books will be seeing the author again in future Percy Jackson seasons. Despite Shotz's observation that the author may not have necessarily enjoyed his cameo appearance, Riordan's popular status is similar to that of Stan Lee's among Marvel Cinematic Universe fans, with s online referring to Riordan as "Uncle Rick." Readers' attachment to Riordan and the author's own ion for the story and the show could lead to him popping up once in each season of Percy Jackson, with a string of Lee-esque cameos.

Stan Lee made 22 cameo appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Outside of Riordan, there is hope that Logan Lerman, who first played Percy in 2010, would cameo in the Percy Jackson show, with some even hoping that he would be cast as Poseidon. While Lerman has offered plenty of words of encouragement to the new cast, he is not currently involved in the show. That could change in future seasons, but the Disney+ show's pivot in direction from the two films, which received mixed reviews, indicates that a cameo from Lerman or original Annabeth Alexandra Daddario is unlikely.

So far, Percy Jackson has earned positive reviews from both critics and audiences, with fans of Riordan's novels in particular rejoicing over the impressive and accurate adaptation. With plenty of Easter eggs thrown in for those who are already familiar with the franchise, Riordan's cameo is likely the start of a long tradition for the show of nodding to the source material. As the next six episodes of Percy Jackson air on Disney+, audiences should keep their eyes peeled for more references and cameos, as well as teases for what's to come.

New episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians premiere on Disney+ on Tuesdays.

Source: ComicBook.com