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Percy Jackson faces a Clash of Greek myth movies: Who will prevail?
Chris Columbus is directing a film adaptation of Rick Riordan's first Percy Jackson & the Olympians novel, The Lightning Thief, a 21st-century take on Greek mythology. But Columbus said that he isn't worried that Warner Brothers is making its own Greek-inspired movie, a remake of Clash of the Titans.
"No, because we're first," Columbus said in an exclusive interview Saturday in Santa Monica, Calif., where he was promoting I Love You, Beth Cooper.
Titans, starring Sam Worthington, hits theaters in March of 2010, but 20th Century Fox locked in a February 2010 release date for Columbus' film. Was it a calculated decision? "Oh, yeah," Columbus said.
In Columbus' movie, Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) is a boarding school kid sent to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods. From there he has adventures with gods and creatures of Greek myth in the present day. This is not a spoof, mind you: Columbus takes his gods very seriously.
"Percy Jackson's a very serious movie," Columbus said. "It's comedic, but it's only comedic in a way that an Indiana Jones movie can be comedic. So I think in terms of comparing it to something like Clash of the Titans, it is more of an Indiana Jones-meets-Greek-mythology [movie], as opposed to a pure period-piece Greek myth, Clash of the Titans."
Columbus has taken some liberties with the source material: Maybe not every sequence from the book is in the movie, but maybe he came up with some better ideas. "Just some of the creatures have been changed," Columbus said. "We have sort of a breathtaking hydra sequence that replaces a sequence that used to take place at the Seattle [St. Louis] Arch. Our version of Hades is a little different. There are other changes here and there. Camp Half-Blood is a lot more dangerous, a lot more serious than it was in the book."
Columbus has also cast Uma Thurman as Medusa. On the set, Thurman wore a blue skullcap painted with dots for computer-graphics artists to add her hair of snakes in post-production. Otherwise, this Medusa is as hot as Uma Thurman.
"Well, Medusa has to be extremely seductive so she can get people to open their eyes and look into her eyes," Columbus said. "So she is a combination of one of the most frightening creatures I've ever seen on screen yet with a very seductive voice."
Fox plans to release Percy Jackson & The Olympians in theaters on Feb. 12, 2010.
By jdessart at 10:32 AM ON 06/29/09
The two are very different, so no comparison. Percy Jackson comes with a built in tweener audience like my kids who are going to see it when it opens. Clash has only those of us who remember the old cheesy Harry Hamlin version, an older group. I'm disappointed to hear Chris' comment about replacing the fight at the St. Louis Arch ... that's a great scene. I hope they get the tunnel of love battle right!
By sir2u at 11:15 AM ON 06/29/09
The Seattle Arch?
By Sithboy at 1:20 PM ON 06/29/09
Uh, yeah, longtime Seattle resident here, we have no Arch that I know of
By SCI FI Wire at 6:52 PM ON 06/29/09
He said Seattle. We think he may have meant St. Louis.
By Catalina at 1:49 PM ON 06/30/09
i dont like the idea of medusa being seductive most of us dont see her like that, we see her like a old woman alone in a restaurant with middle east clothes simple.
By Nora at 3:12 PM ON 06/30/09
Phew, thank goodness. At first I was worried about how the movie of Percy Jackson was going to change from the book, but CC's report looks very promising. Some of his changes sound realistic, and I'm looking forward to seeing the movie in theaters!
PS. Clash of the Titans? Seriously? They can't redo that movie! The only reason it was so great was because it wax so bad! :P
By pinrconeface at 6:13 PM ON 07/01/09
nooo! don't change anything!!!!!!!!
By Jace at 6:49 PM ON 07/01/09
Wow they are changing parts!! That is sooo stupid!! Rick you should of known what you were getting into!! You should of said no to making a movie instead pissing a bunch of people!!!
~Jace, A Great Reader of Books And Watcher Of GOOD Movies
By Hoshino Ai at 12:07 PM ON 07/02/09
I've read all the books, and I for one am very excited that Lightning Thief is coming out! Yes, I did expect some changes, but that only makes it more interesting. I don't believe the movie has to be EXACTLY like the book. ^_^ Thanks for this, and please keep us updated! ^_~v
By Adrianne at 8:38 PM ON 07/02/09
WHAT?! THEY'RE CHANGING THINGS?! CHB IS SUPPOSE TO BE SAFE! THE HYDRA'S IN BOOK 2! WE NEED THE CHIMERA! THEY ARE SO RUINING IT FOR ME!
*calms down*
By Madz at 12:04 AM ON 07/03/09
I'm SOOOO excited about this, having read all the books. Only one questin: Why isn't Annabeth a blond? Or are you gonna change her hair color? Or the actresses? (sorry, forgot her name)
And, lastly, if Annabeth's not a blonde, I'm gonna be alittle offended. She's ways been the character that I've related to, the one that made me proud to be a blondie.
~Madz RS
By Haruhi at 2:11 AM ON 07/04/09
Ok, wait a second. They can't take out the St. Louis Arch scene. That's the part where Percy falls (from the ARCH) into the water and realizes the extent of his power! It saves him from what would SURELY be a deadly fall.
By PercyJacksonLover at 1:03 AM ON 07/06/09
PERCY JACKSON RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just think they kind of messed up for the following reasons;
"Black" Grover
18 year old- Brunett Annabeth
'subductive' Medusa (whtev that means)
NO SAINT LOUIS ARCH SCENE!!!
And many small ones in the cast that don't deserve mention.
But other than that, BRING ON THE MOVIE!!!
P*J RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By MicrominiMidoriXL at 11:44 PM ON 07/10/09
Wow, I really hope the changes don't mess up the movie. If it comes out bad I'll be so mad.
Alexandra Daddiaro is way to old to play Annabeth. But movies never stick exactly to the book which sucks. Anyway hope it'll be good.
P.S. The hydra is totally wrong and if Percy doesn't fall 530 Ft. into water then his full power won't be recognized.
By adfkljasdf at 9:48 AM ON 07/16/09
umm..seductive medusa? this is a movie for kids. why the heck would you do that?! and no arch scene? chris columbus must be crazy.
By BearBlair at 4:44 PM ON 08/16/09
No ARCH SCENE. That was MAJOR. I knew they would change it, but COME ON.
._. There ages are already like 18 and Annabeth already has brown hair. And Medusa is soposed to be an ugly OLD HAG. >.> She NEEDS to be ugly. Ugh.
By turtlegirl at 6:08 PM ON 09/15/09
I knew they were going to change things I just hope they don't change too much. as long as they make it make since I am ok besides annabeth not being a blonde. To me percy likes annabeth being a blonde and her grey eyes at last she has them. plus half blood hill should be the safest place for half bloods that is one big reason percy loves it there so much!!!...
By suitedude55 at 2:01 PM ON 11/29/09
wow 5 trailers already! the movie looks spectacualer! well done so far!
By pebblessunny02 at 9:29 AM ON 12/30/09
WAIT...THERE IS NO ARCH SEEN? they better have Clarisse in it, and the toilet bowl scene, and the capture the flag scene... i don't remember Annabeth beating him in a sword fight and she's suppose to be blonde!!!!! I hope they stick to the book and add the part when he is determined at capture the flag, the toilet bowl scene, and the arch, or this movie won't be that great....AND SINCE WHEN WAS THE PEN/RIPTIDE CLICKABLE?!
By Tbobrown at 10:27 PM ON 01/02/10
wow....they just ruined my favorite book series (next to hp of course, nothing beats that) all the trailers so far look like garbage compared to the potenial this movie could have have with a good cast (not just big name acotrs and actresses) and a script that actually followed the book.
By ihateannabeth at 10:31 PM ON 01/02/10
OMG! THEY MESSED EVERYTHING UP! CHRIS COLUMBUS IF YOU CAN'T MAKE THE LIGHTNING THIEF MOVIE WITHOUT SCREWING UP THE BOOK, THEN YOU'RE NOT THE RIGHT DIRECTOR! an orange would be a better director...or maybe a dead fish.....
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OMG! THEY MESSED EVERYTHING UP! CHRIS COLUMBUS IF YOU CAN'T MAKE THE LIGHTNING THIEF MOVIE WITHOUT SCREWING UP THE ...More »