Percy Jackson Movie vs. Book

The Lightning Thief movie is coming out February 12, 2010. Of course we are all super-excited, but the big question for fans of the book is: Will it be a lot different than the book?

Here are 3 different answers from 3 key people who are very close to the book and the movie. . .

Brandon T. Jackson, the actor who plays Grover, has this to say:
"Of course you can go into more detail, but it's already two and a half hours. And it's not long in a bad way but there's only so much you can put in it. I think that they got all the major points of the story. That's what makes it really cool. Chris [Columbus] is such a great director because he had to do it in a way where it really is entertaining and is also — you can't take everything from the book. You'll get some flak from a lot of the kids who will say, "I didn't expect Grover to look like this.” "I didn't expect Alexander to look like this." But when you take it for the entertainment value I think the movie comes out to be really really cool from what I saw. It sticks pretty close to the book with the characters and everything the way they are. It balances out well for entertainment value for people who haven't read the book, and for people who have read the book you can go back and draw your own conclusions and have your own magical experiences."

Logan Lerman, the actor who plays Percy, also weighs in:
"With portraying Percy I tried to keep it — I didn't want to change that that much. Except for the fact that I'm a little bit older than the written character. But the truth is we changed a lot of the book. We changed a lot of things around to make the movie work because you have to make things a little bit different so it can be its own film and work on screen. We changed a lot of the things though. But I'm pretty sure that fans of the book will be able to appreciate Rick's writing, and will still accept this as a different medium from the book that adds a whole different take on the book from another person's eyes, from Chris Columbus' vision and even makes it more grand, even more unique. It's really cool."

And finally, Rick Riordan, the author himself offers his opinion of the movie on his blog:
"Will the movie be exactly like the book? Well to start with, I have never seen a movie that was exactly like the book it came from, so I think it's safe to say no. Movies are a totally different medium. What you'll be seeing is not The Lightning Thief book copied page for page onto the screen. What you'll be seeing is Chris Columbus' interpretation of The Lightning Thief story. . . Let the movie be the movie, and the books be the books, and try to enjoy the story without getting too worked up about any differences."

So there you have it. What do you think? Will the movie be as good as the book? Let me know what you think in the Comments.

— Sonja, STACKS Staffer

Brandon T. Jackson and Logan Lerman interviews by Marie Morreale

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UPDATE January 29, 2010: Check it out! We've got more Lightning Thief cast interviews!

Comments

[Comment #26]

I love this book and can't wait till the movie!!!

[Comment #27]

@Cal Yeah I was pretty bummed that they left out hat whole scene. I so want HP7 to be like... 8 hours. Yep a lot of popcorn and soda. In 8 hours you may only get 3/4 of the way through though =( Okay Cya
(I CAN'T WAIT!!!!)

[Comment #28]

I watched that trailer sooooooooo many times, and my dad, sister, and cousin are taking me as soon as it comes out! I love the books too, but the movie is alot better. My question is, are they going to do that scene where Percy sees Thalia in his dream, or is it going to be left out?

[Comment #29]

it sounds like a good book

[Comment #30]

it sounds like a good book

[Comment #31]

I am a big fan lightning thief is my favirote book Iwant to own the whole percy jackson series

[Comment #32]

I wish that i was poisidos son that would be cool to control water

[Comment #33]

When I sarted reading the series and I still love them but all of the books that I have read that became movies I liked the book so much better. So I think that without the exact same story I think the book is going to be so much better than the movie like every other story.

[Comment #34]

Gosh I love Percy Jackson! That is why I can't wait to study Greek Myths in Literature this year!I think Logan Lerman is a really good choice to play Percy!

[Comment #35]

Another thing I thought the first time I looked at it was, "Okay, WHERE ARE THEY GETTING THIS?!!!" As far as I knew, the whole elevator-in-the-clouds thing was never in the book. But I guess it's really up to the writer of the movie to decide what's in and what's out about the book. Besides, if you look at movies like Lord of the Rings, where they were predominantly faithful to the books, there were some things that still deviated from the original text. It's because the screenwriter, director, editor, producer, and anyone else involved in the pre-production phase of filmmaking decided that some things were a necessary sacrifice and would be better subsituted to interest audiences of today. I mean, I'm not saying Percy Jackson is old stuff, because it's not. But they still have to look at what people want to see and incorporate that - as best they can - into the movie version of "The Lightning Theif". Yes, there will still be nit-picky people who will scream that it isn't right, it didn't happen like that, et cetera. Even I'm tempted to do that sometimes. We should try to keep the rough criticism to a minimum, though. I mean, feel free to bash the special effects, but just because they had to change a couple things is no reason to discredit the movie. It could still be good, you never know till you see it.

[Comment #36]

I just want to say I LOVE the books! I know the movie will be good but I also realize that there will be disappointments but thats what happens when you make a book into a movie. I love all the actors and actresses they chose but I think age could be a problem. What I'm worried about is that age is a really important thing in the books what with the proficey so if they make him older in the first movie in ruins the whole thing! But still- YAY!!

[Comment #37]

wow you rought so much

[Comment #38]

i think that its going 2 be so cool,
and the percy jackson seiries ROX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thats my opinion. B)

[Comment #39]

my reading teacher won't let us see the traler 4 the movie cause it is not rated soooooooooo RATE THE MOVIE!!!!! please ^_^

[Comment #40]

i think that the percy jackson series is so awsome!
the movie will be cool! :)

[Comment #41]

I thought the books were amazing! But, like with Harry Potter I know that I'm not going to like the movie because they always cut out my favotite parts!

[Comment #42]

People should try to keep the criticism to a minimum. I have no problem with someone saying, "The special effects weren't the best," but no movie based off a book or series is JUST LIKE it. Even in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, they deviated from the original text sometimes.
Anyway, I can't wait to see this movie! I just saw the new trailer, and it's AWESOME!!!!

[Comment #43]

I agree. It might be different but that doesn't mean it's bad. As a big fan of the series, I can already see many changes in the movie trailers alone, but it still looks awesome! It looks like the kind of thing readers and non-readers of the book will both like. I just want it to be a good movie, which I'm sure it will be.

[Comment #44]

I can't wait for the movie! I've read all the books. I wish they hadn't increased Percy and Annabeth's age though. The actress who plays Annabeth is 23!

[Comment #45]

CLARISSE ISN'T EVEN IN THE MOVIE!!!!

[Comment #46]

My friends and me have already decided we are going and yet it's fells like it will be FOREVER until the movie comes out i really don't care what the movie looks like but if you want to see the trailer go online most of the trailers are pointless though the don't tell you anything by the way the movie comes out Feb. 12,2010! :)

[Comment #47]

percy jacksons cool

[Comment #48]

this is my favorite book and the movie is poopy! I know they have to change some things. but changing age hair color props storyline and even the monsters! unacceptable

[Comment #49]

i still want to see the movie but i really think they screwed it up.annabeth is a brunett so is percy and grover is black

[Comment #50]

I think that it looks ok, but they are screwing some stuff up pretty bad. I know that the movies are never the same as the books, but they are just changing too much.