Percy Jackson’s Ares Actor Previews A More Mature Season 2: “The Kids Are Growing”

Adam Copeland, who portrays Ares in Disney+’s Percy Jackson & the Olympians, teases a more mature direction for season 2. The fantasy series’ first installment featured a faithful adaptation of Rick Riordan’s beloved novels, following young heroes Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell), Annabeth Chase (Leah Sava Jeffries), and Grover Underwood (Aryan Simhadri) on their quest to retrieve Zeus’ Master Bolt. Percy Jackson season 2 is set to adapt Riordan’s second book, The Sea of Monsters, in which Percy and his friends embark on a dangerous mission to recover the Golden Fleece and restore its protection to Camp Half-Blood.

Speaking with Screen Rant‘s Liam Crowley ahead of AEW Dynamite’s streaming debut on Max on January 1, Adam “Edge” Copeland discussed the evolution of Percy Jackson‘s tone as its young protagonists grow up to face even more perilous journeys, monsters, and backstabbing friends. After an explosive finale that saw Copeland’s god of war vow vengeance against the half-bloods following his defeat by Percy, Luke Castellan (Charlie Bushnell) is revealed to be the traitor at Camp Half-Blood with an allegiance to the sinister titan Kronos. Reflecting on his journey with the franchise, Copeland said:

I mean, it felt great because the first season we filmed everything, and it felt like this is a good show, but you still don’t fully, fully know until you see the finished product. So fast-forward to December of 2023, and you see it, and we’re at the premiere and everything and my girls are there, and we watched it and it kind of blew me away.

I felt so honored to be a part of the world and the Percy Jackson world and to be brought into it. Seeing that finished product, really it hit home with me. And then once you get out and about, and you start having families come up and grandparents come up and kids coming up and asking if I am Ares or if I’m Adam Copeland and not due to wrestling, that’s when I realized the show was onto something. Now, 16 Emmy nominations later, it’s pretty mind-blowing just to be a part of the whole thing.

Copeland also expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to explore such a dynamic character in Ares:

I realize that actors wait their entire careers to get on a show like this and some never do. I don’t look past it at all, and I realize what a gift I’ve been given with the writing and with the character of Ares, because it’s the kind of character that is just open for exploration. There’s really no handcuffs with this character. I mean, don’t get me wrong, there’s some, we’re Disney, but just in terms of facials and movements and big and just making everything feel really big, which is what wrestling was all about.

So yeah, it’s been a pretty crazy ride. It felt good to get out there and film some scenes for this season. Yeah, I mean it’s not a tough gig, man. I fly to Vancouver, one of my favorite cities. I spend time with great people. I have loads of friends out there, so it feels like a homecoming every time I go. I love working with the cast, with the crew. It’s just a phenomenal group of people who all have the same goal.

Reflecting on what’s to come for Percy Jackson & The Olympians season 2, Copeland added:

Well, I think just with the characters naturally growing older there becomes more serious issues, but they’re following the books, but there’s always going to be some things added in like the diner scene in the first season that wasn’t in the books, but I’m so happy it was included in the scripts because that’s what I auditioned with, and I went, ‘Oh, there’s so much fun to be had here.’ I think there’s always going to be fun in this show. I mean, how can it not be when you look at what is happening and going on and the fantastical nature of everything?

The kids are growing, and they’re not so much kids anymore. I think it naturally follows the progression of what happens to you as you’re going through your teens. I think that’s why the books always connected, because I feel like people saw a bit of themselves in these characters and the awkward phases that you go through, but if you got friends it doesn’t feel quite as awkward. And I feel like at the heart of Percy Jackson, that’s really what they’re about.

What A More Mature Percy Jackson Season 2 Means

The God Of War Is Just Getting Started

Season 2 of Percy Jackson & the Olympians looks set to raise the story’s mythological stakes and dive deeper into the allure of power. Ares’ promise of vengeance at the end of season 1 hints at the actor and professional wrestler’s renewed involvement, which could pose as another obstacle for Percy and Annabeth as they fight to restore the Golden Fleece. Meanwhile, Grover searches the seas for Pan. With the trio preoccupied with their respective missions, Luke’s allegiance to Kronos looms large as his numbers of disillusioned half-bloods and demigods continue to grow.

As the threats pile onto Percy and his two friends, the Greek mythology series evolves from a straightforward hero’s journey into a multi-layered exploration of the temptations of power and fragility of trust. Ares’ role as both a physical and thematic adversary underscores the challenges Percy faces—not just in battle, but also in navigating the complexities of the mythological world where alliances and wars are ever-changing. With Camp Half-Blood’s safety hanging by a thread, Ares’ dynamic presence in season 2 will undoubtedly raise the stakes as his vendetta against Percy collides—or perhaps collaborates—with Kronos’ violent thirst for power above all.

Our Take On Percy Jackson Season 2

A Mythological Power Struggle Is Brewing

Copeland as Ares is a standout in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians cast, bringing charisma and a larger-than-life energy that perfectly encapsulates the god of war. His tease of a more mature storyline continues to build the anticipation for our young heroes to return. In addition to his acting career, Copeland wrestles for AEW every Wednesday on AEW Dynamite on TBS and every Saturday on AEW Collision on TNT, with both broadcasts simulcast on Max.

As Copeland points out, what makes the Greek mythology series so special is its ability to balance the fantastical with the relatable. The awkwardness and camaraderie seen in half-bloods Percy, Annabeth, and Grover reminds viewers at any age of the growing pains of their teen years. If Percy Jackson & the Olympians season 2 delivers on its promise of heightened mythological stakes and heartfelt character development, it could solidify its place as one of the most beloved adaptations of Riordan’s best-selling series.

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Based on the novel series by Rick Riordan Percy Jackson & the Olympians is an action-adventure fantasy television series created for Disney+. When Percy Jackson is framed for the theft of Zeus’ almighty thunderbolt, Percy must clear his name, all while harnessing the powers inherited by his father, Poseidon, at a camp created for demi-gods.

Release Date

December 20, 2023

Cast

Walker Scobell
, Leah Sava Jeffries
, Aryan Simhadri
, Jason Mantzoukas
, Megan Mullally
, Glynn Turman
, Adam Copeland
, Virginia Kull
, Lance Reddick

Seasons

1

Writers

Rick Riordan
, Jonathan E. Steinberg

Directors

James Bobin
, Anders Engström

Showrunner

Jonathan E. Steinberg
, Dan Shotz

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