Having seen the buckets, tractors and trucks of gold that the movies produced on the back of the Harry Potter books generated for Warner Bros, one should not really blame anyone else for trying the same formula. That is human nature after all. And 20th Century Fox got good source material too. The Percy Jackson series, that has a set of five books in the original series and then a sequel series where three books have been published so far. A lovable, enjoyable book series, which while not in the league of Harry Potter, is refreshing in its richness of Greek tradition showcased in the backdrop of the current world. The book series has a large young fan base, the key factor needed to create another grand movie franchise.
But alas, 20th Century Fox goofed up with the first one, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. Many may not even be aware of its 2010 release. One can write elaborately on what went wrong with the movie, and why it did not really impact the box-office, but one needs to be in the mood to lament and crib and cry on things so terribly wrong with the world. I am not in that mood, so I shall let it pass. But if a movie maker was looking at how to get a franchise right, here is an older post outlining some basic suggestions, very basic indeed, but so often overlooked.
The studio is giving it another try, for it still made some money on the previous movie, though nothing in the league of a Harry Potter movie. Maybe they will correct things in the sequel, the trailer of which is promising somewhat. But with the continuity factor prevalent in such movies, I wonder now if the Percy Jackson series will ever be able to reach its true potential on the big screen. Eh, that is someone else's problem, right? The second and latest trailer for the sequel, titled Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Sea of Monsters is right below.
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