‘Percy Jackson’ Casts Courtney B. Vance As Zeus In Wake Of Lance Reddick’s Death

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Courtney B. Vance and Lance Reddick Matthew Jordan Smith/Larry Busacca/Getty Images

Percy Jackson and the Olympians has officially recast the role of Zeus.

The Disney+ series has cast Courtney B. Vance to take up the mantle from the late Lance Reddick, who died last year, shortly after the first season was released.

“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,” executive producer Dan Shotz said in a statement, posted to the series’ Instagram on Monday. “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.”

In the Season 1 finale of the Disney+ series, Reddick played the Greek god in an extensive scene with series lead Walker Scobell, as Percy faces Zeus atop Mount Olympus. It was one of his final on-screen roles.

Zeus has a presence throughout all five of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians novels.

Earlier this year, Shotz and fellow EP Jon Steinberg spoke about recasting the role, saying at the time: “There’s also just a little bit of denial, I think. That’s something that we’re gonna have to deal with. But we’re incredibly grateful for this character that he helped build and the presence that he created. I do not envy whoever has to step into his shoes.”

Season 2 of Percy Jackson will follow Percy Jackson (Scobell), Annabeth Chase (Jeffries) and Grover Underwood (Simhadri) as they embark on a new adventure based on The Sea of Monsters, the second book of Rick Riordan’s best-selling “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series, published by Disney Hyperion. Production on Season 2 just began in Vancouver in August.

In the new season, Percy Jackson returns to Camp Half-Blood one year later to find his world turned upside down. His friendship with Annabeth is changing, he learns he has a cyclops for a brother, Grover has gone missing, and camp is under siege from the forces of Kronos. Percy’s journey to set things right will take him off the map and into the deadly Sea of Monsters, where a secret fate awaits the son of Poseidon.