Two major fantasy series, Disney’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians and HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter show, have built huge excitement by promising to be more faithful to their original books than previous film adaptations. However, with Percy Jackson receiving mixed reactions from fans despite this promise, many are asking if these big-budget TV shows are setting expectations too high.
The “Faithful Adaptation” Promise
From the beginning, both TV projects have used “faithfulness” to the books as their main selling point. For Percy Jackson, author Rick Riordan was directly involved in the Disney+ show, a sharp contrast to the film adaptations which he famously criticized. The series promised to correct the movies’ mistakes by casting age-appropriate actors and following the novels’ plots more closely.
Similarly, HBO’s Harry Potter series, set to debut in 2027, has made fidelity its central mission. Showrunner Francesca Gardiner and HBO executives have consistently described the project as a “delightful adaptation” of J.K. Rowling’s books, with actor Warwick Davis, who is returning as Professor Flitwick, stating the series offers “more depth and detail than has been seen before”. The stated plan is to adapt each book into its own season, allowing for a more complete story than the films could provide.
Where Percy Jackson Stumbled
Despite the promise, the first season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians faced criticism for changes it made from the source material. While it holds a high critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, fan reactions on platforms like IMDb are more divided. Some viewers praised the casting and attention to detail, but others were disappointed by deviations in the plot.
Specific changes that drew fan attention include the handling of the Lotus Hotel and Casino sequence, where the characters were aware of the danger from the start, unlike in the book. Other critiques mention that the show sometimes felt rushed, with key moments lacking the buildup or drama found in the novels. These reactions highlight a core challenge: even with the author’s involvement and a goal of faithfulness, translating a book to screen often requires changes that some fans will not like.
“We’re retelling those wonderful stories but with more depth and detail than has been seen before. They’re very faithful adaptations of the book,” said actor Warwick Davis about the new Harry Potter series.
The Big Challenge for Harry Potter
The mixed response to Percy Jackson serves as a cautionary tale for the Harry Potter TV show. The HBO series faces a unique and perhaps greater challenge. The eight original Harry Potter films are beloved worldwide and are deeply embedded in pop culture. Characters like Hermione Granger and Severus Snape are iconic in their film portrayals. This means the new TV series is not just adapting books; it’s inviting direct comparison to a hugely successful film franchise.
By promising a more faithful adaptation, the show raises audience expectations to an extremely high level. Every change, addition, or omission will be scrutinized. If a character line is missing or a subplot is altered, fans who were promised a perfect book-to-screen translation may react negatively. The show must justify its existence by offering something both authentic and new enough to warrant a retelling.
Different Starting Points
Another key difference is the legacy each project is adapting. The Percy Jackson films from 2010 and 2013 were not major critical or fan successes. This gave the Disney+ series a clear opportunity to present itself as the definitive, improved version. Author Rick Riordan has said the TV show was his chance to finally see his work adapted properly.
In contrast, the Harry Potter films are widely considered successful adaptations in their own right. While they condensed the lengthy books, they captured the spirit for many fans. This puts the HBO series in a trickier position—it must prove it can add meaningful value beyond what the films already accomplished.
What Makes a Adaptation “Faithful”?
The debate around these shows points to a larger question: what does “faithful” actually mean? As one analysis notes, there is a difference between a book-accurate adaptation and a book-faithful one. A show can be faithful to the themes, characters, and heart of a story while making necessary changes for a different medium. Percy Jackson kept the ending of The Lightning Thief the same as the book, but changed events along the way. Similarly, the Harry Potter TV series plans to introduce characters like Lucius Malfoy earlier than the books did.
For the teams behind these shows, “faithful” likely means capturing the essence and expanding the world, not creating a literal, page-by-page translation. However, for a segment of dedicated fans, any deviation from the source material can feel like a broken promise. Navigating this gap between creative interpretation and fan expectation is the biggest task for both productions.
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The second season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, adapting The Sea of Monsters, is currently streaming. Early reviews suggest it continues to face similar challenges, with some changes from the book working well and others receiving criticism. Its ongoing journey provides a real-time case study for HBO.
The Harry Potter TV series is deep in production at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, with a seasoned creative team including director Mark Mylod. The cast, led by Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, is set to bring a new generation of actors to these iconic roles. The show is one of the most anticipated TV projects in the world, guaranteed a massive audience when it premieres in 2027. Whether it can fulfill its ambitious promise and satisfy a passionate, opinionated global fanbase remains the ultimate magical challenge.
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