Percy Jackson author calls the movies of his books 'my life’s work going through a meat grinder'
Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan has said that the making of his books into movies was like ‘my life's work going through a meat grinder’.
The Texan novelist, who has penned five fantasy novels about the boy who discovers he's the son of Poseidon, selling tens of millions of copies around the world, made his views abundantly clear after a fan got in touch on Twitter.
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Disney+ currently has the movies streaming, but after one viewer though it appropriate to bring him in on the subject of child-friendly settings on the platform, notably in the Lotus Casino scene, Riordan let rip.
I don't know, but clearly it's a mistake. They should censor the entire thing. Just two hours of blank screen. https://t.co/nPq9TPg9Sd
— Rick Riordan (@rickriordan) June 8, 2020
When another fan also weighed in, Riordan went on: “Well, to you guys, it's a couple hours entertainment. To me, it's my life's work going through a meat grinder when I pleaded with them not to do it. So yeah. But it's fine. All fine. We're gonna fix it soon.”
Well, to you guys, it's a couple hours entertainment. To me, it's my life's work going through a meat grinder when I pleaded with them not to do it. So yeah. But it's fine. All fine. We're gonna fix it soon . . . 😀 https://t.co/YFuk55kGJU
— Rick Riordan (@rickriordan) June 8, 2020
He went on: “Finally, I still have not seen the movies, and don't plan on ever doing so. I judge them from having read the scripts, because I care most about the story. I certainly have nothing against the very talented actors. Not their fault. I'm just sorry they got dragged into that mess.”
Finally, I still have not seen the movies, and don't plan on ever doing so. I judge them from having read the scripts, because I care most about the story. I certainly have nothing against the very talented actors. Not their fault. I'm just sorry they got dragged into that mess.
— Rick Riordan (@rickriordan) June 8, 2020
The comment about 'fixing' the problem is no doubt a reference to the upcoming serialised version of the novels which is being produced by Disney+.
Riordan has long disowned the movie versions of 2010's Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief and its sequel, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, both released by 20th Century Fox.
Back in 2016, he penned an open letter to teachers asking them 'for the love of multiple intelligences' not to show the films during class time.
“No group of students deserves to be subjected to that sort of mind-numbing punishment,” he said.
He also published a lengthy post on his blog in 2018, copying emails he sent to producers at time pleading with them to avoid making key changes to the novels, notably Percy's age (17 in the films, despite the core readership age being 9 to 12).
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The movies, directed by Chris Columbus and Thor Freudenthal - and with Logan Lerman playing Percy - arrived in 2010 and 2013, but failed to set the box office alight, making just over $400 million in total, but having cost $185 million to make.
Reviews were also lukewarm.
