Walker Scobell Teases How ‘Percy Jackson & the Olympians’ Season 3 “Is Finally Getting Into the Books”

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Published 31 minutes ago

Meredith Loftus is a TV Lists Editor at Collider. As part of the Lists team, she creates both trending and evergreen list topics in order to engage Collider's active audience. Prior to this, she was a Features Author focused on both movie and TV topics. In addition to her editing role, she has covered major events for Collider, including San Diego Comic-Con and D23. Meredith has also conducted interviews with creatives across the entertainment industry. Some of her favorites include Jon M. Chu, Owen Teague, Wendie Malick, Greig Fraser, and the cast of Superman & Lois.

Editor's note: The following interview contains spoilers for Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 finale.

Summary

In an interview with Collider, Walker Scobell says Thalia’s return reshapes everything, giving her a real reason to turn on the gods in Season 3.
Percy is driven by Annabeth’s absence in Season 3, pushing him to the edge as he tries—and fails—to fill her role on the quest.
After Luke nearly kills him, Percy feels more sadness than rage, while bigger, rougher fights reflect how much darker the story gets.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians has leveled up its fantasy stakes in Season 2! Percy — played by Walker Scobell — the son of Poseidon (Toby Stephens), is on a quest to rescue his friend and protect Camp Half-Blood from his former ally turned enemy, Luke Castellan (Charlie Bushnell), who sided with the titan, Kronos. With the Great Prophecy looming over him, Percy's world gets a little more complicated when Thalia Grace (Tamara Smart), another child of the Big Three, is freed from the tree Zeus (previously played by Lance Reddick and now Courtney B. Vance) had bound her.

In an interview with Collider, Scobell reflects on the climactic Season 2 finale, and teases what fans can expect from the upcoming third season — officially confirmed to release later in 2026. From what we know of the book, Annabeth (Leah Jeffries) is kidnapped, and Scobell explains how her loss changes Percy. Plus, he teases more power, bigger action scenes, and tense new group dynamics, as well as reflecting on working with his co-star Daniel Diemer, who plays his half-brother, Tyson.

Walker Scobell Says That Percy Is on a Mission for Annabeth in Season 3

"They know what they would do for each other."

Percy (Walker Scobell) and Annabeth (Leah Jeffries) at C.C.'s Spa in 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' Season 2.

All right, I just want to jump straight into the finale. What was your reaction to reading the script and learning the truth about why Thalia was transformed into a tree by Zeus?

WALKER SCOBELL: I think my first thought was things are going to be a lot more... I don't want to use the word "spicy." I'm trying to think of it more like, not "more interesting" — I was thinking about Season 3 when I read that, and I was like, "Wow, this is really going to change the way that Thalia views the gods." In the book, she already isn't very pleased with the way the gods are, but now it's real. I was excited to see what that was going to look like in Season 3.

She has a legitimate reason to burn Olympus to the ground.

SCOBELL: True. Burn it all down.

Based on what we've seen from Percy this season, he can be pushed to the edge, too. Who should we be more wary of next season, regarding the Great Prophecy: Percy or Thalia?

SCOBELL: It's interesting because without Annabeth there, I find Percy a lot more... this is a little bit of a spoiler for the book, The Titan's Curse. He's really on a mission for Annabeth, but at the same time, he can feel her absence in this group. I think it's interesting because there's been a lot of scenes where it's pretty funny because Percy's really trying to make this work without Annabeth. He's not a big fan of what's going on either, but he's really trying to cooperate with what's going on. It's been pretty funny, too. He's almost trying to fill Annabeth's role himself, and he's just not that good at it.

Annabeth has come to mean just so much to Percy. How would you describe the evolution of their friendship over the course of Season 2?

SCOBELL: They really get to know each other, and I think their problems from the beginning of Season 2 are legitimate. But they know each other so well now, and they know what they would do for each other, that I don't think those little issues really matter to them anymore. If anything, there's just this massive prophecy hanging over their heads, but I honestly think they're pretty happy. Thalia's back. There's a lot of tension in the air, but in a way, this is pretty much the best scenario to start off Season 3.

That leads perfectly into my next question: Because Grover and Annabeth knew Thalia before they met Percy, how do you imagine the two of them potentially being stuck in the middle between Percy and Thalia?

SCOBELL: It's difficult because it's like I don't even have to imagine anymore. Without spoiling anything, I think Percy's trying a lot harder to, like I said, cooperate with her and try to make this work. But it's really difficult for both of them because they just have a really hard time trying to like each other, I guess. Grover definitely gets pulled back and forth a little bit. But come on, he's my protector, man! He's her protector, too, [but] that's my buddy.

Two peas in a pod, you know?

SCOBELL: Exactly. That's us. That's Aryan and I.

Walker Scobell Believes Percy Is More Sad Than Livid Towards Luke at the End of Season 2

"His first real friend he made at camp is actually trying to kill him now."

Luke looking to the side while outdoors in Season 2 of 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians.'

Your action scenes this year have really stepped up, particularly between you and Charlie Bushnell. After that last epic showdown in the finale, what is Percy walking away with now that Luke almost had him dead to rights?

SCOBELL: It's interesting because when I read the scene, I was like, "Wow." Coming out of that, Percy is going to be livid; he's going to try to kill Luke the second he sees him. That's kind of true, but I also think after filming that and filming that scene in the infirmary, he's more sad, if anything. He talks about trying to take Luke out at the beginning of the season, but this guy is really his first real friend, other than Grover. His first real friend he made at camp is actually trying to kill him now. I think it hurts him. Even though he was trying to take Luke out, it's actually real now. This isn't just like something they're talking about. Luke almost just killed him. He permanently rearranged his face, you know? Yeah. It's just different now.

Walker Scobell Praises His Co-Star Daniel Diemer and How Much He Learned From Him On-Set

"He's just such an amazing guy to look up to, especially as an actor."

Something else that is different now is the presence of Tyson this season. I have to admit, I got really choked up watching that scene between Percy, Tyson, and Poseidon. Could you talk me through that scene and hitting those emotional beats with your co-stars there?

SCOBELL: I think it came very naturally to both Toby [Stephens] and Daniel [Diemer]. They're both such professionals. That was a big learning day for me just watching them because they're both just amazing. That was kind of… close to the end of filming, and I think it felt like this final scene between Daniel and I. Daniel is a lot like an older brother to me, and it made me sad while I was there. I've been watching him very closely on set for the last couple of months because I just really admire the guy. I think he's just such an amazing guy to look up to, especially as an actor. He's a wonderful actor, and he's just such a great guy, and he really makes everyone feel like they're seen. I think it really translates well on camera for Tyson, too. So that scene was a bit sad for me, watching Daniel go.

Considering where Percy started the season, telling him "we're not bros," to now losing his brother. That was sad!

SCOBELL: It is. By the way, that scene nearly killed me. I remember doing that scene. I was like, "Dude. Oh my god. It's rough." It was so hard to bring myself to say these things then, because even though it's fake, you're acting, it's not real, but at the same time, he just looked so sad after I said these things to him. I never thought that I would feel this bad for a 28-year-old, 29-year-old man, but I really did. I felt horrible for him that I was saying these things to him.

I also really was moved by your scene with Sally. After a year later, it's clear Percy is still scarred from watching the Minotaur take her in Season 1.

SCOBELL: Oh, yeah, definitely. What a way to start off this massive series with the Minotaur. He's come across a lot of really big monsters, but that one in particular, I don't think you'll ever forget that. It's difficult because there's Gabe, who sucks, and he has to live with, and I think the only person he's ever truly trusted and ever truly loved is his mom. And to see that himself, his mom being taken away, I think that's when he realized that he would do anything for the people he loves. He just got this pen that turns into a sword. He doesn't know how to use it. He doesn't even know he's the son of Poseidon. There's this massive Minotaur that crushes his mom. He's 12 years old, and his first response is to fight. I think that just immediately sets the tone for the entire series.

Walker Scobell Previews Even Bigger Action Sequences in 'Percy Jackson' Season 3

"There is definitely a change in the way that Percy fights after Annabeth is taken."

Walker Scobell as Percy with a helmet on in 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' Season 2.

Where we leave off in the Season 2 finale, in particular, just perfectly sets up where we're heading in Season 3. What can you preview about Percy's journey compared to what he went through in Season 2?

SCOBELL: Before, he obviously had a real mission to save Grover. But there's a lot going on, and I think there still is a lot going on. Grover's trapped and he can see him. He gets to talk to him through these empathy links. What's difficult about Season 3 for Percy is [that] he doesn't ever get to talk to Annabeth. With Grover at least, he can see him, he can talk to him, and he can make sure he's okay. He can't make sure Annabeth's okay. It's a real mission to get there and get her out of there. Especially with two children of The Big Three, it's a dangerous mission, and they attract a lot of monsters. Also, random thing, but the fights in Season 3 — if you thought that Season 2 had some really big action sequences and fights, which I thought was like a massive upgrade from Season 1 in a way.

Agreed. So good.

SCOBELL: Season 3 is... I'm trying to think of anything that would be similar to [it]. There are just so many fights, and it's not like we're just going for quantity over quality. Every single fight brings something new and something different. It really just adds to the adventure. There is definitely a change in the way that Percy fights after Annabeth is taken. All of them are just really trying to get to her. You can really tell through all the action sequences. It's just a massive season, and we're really getting into the books now. I think that's my biggest takeaway: 1 and 2 — amazing, but then you get to 3, 4, and 5, and that is like the meat of the series. That's Percy Jackson, you know? Those [books] are what I really think about when I hear Percy Jackson. I'm really excited for people to see what we've been cooking up.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians is now streaming on Disney+.