Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (known as Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief in the UK and Australia) is a fantasy-adventure film directed by Chris Columbus. The film is a loose adaptation of The Lightning Thief, the first novel in the Percy Jackson & The Olympians series by Rick Riordan. It stars Logan Lerman as the titular Percy Jackson alongside an ensemble cast which includes Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Jake Abel, Rosario Dawson, Steve Coogan, Uma Thurman, Catherine Keener, Sean Bean and Pierce Brosnan. It was released to theaters on February 12, 2010.

In its opening weekend, the film ranked #2; and in its, first week, the film grossed $40 million, comprising 40% of its "$95 million budget". Critical reception was mixed.

Plot
At the top of the Empire State Building, Poseidon (Kevin McKidd) meets with Zeus (Sean Bean), who comments that the storm clouds have no lightning and and that his master bolt has been stolen. He blames Poseidon's son for the theft. Despite Poseidon's claims of his son's innocence, Zeus gives Poseidon 14 days to return it, lest war break out.

During a field trip to an exhibition of Greek and Roman art, teenager Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman), is lured away from the crowd by a Fury disguised as his substitute English teacher, who then attacks him, questioning him about the lightning bolt. The incredulous Percy, who has no knowledge of this, is rescued by his Latin teacher, Mr. Brunner (Pierce Brosnan). After dispatching the Fury, Brunner gives Percy a magical pen. On Brunner's instruction, Percy's best friend, Grover (Brandon T. Jackson), takes Percy to a training camp for demigods, Camp Half-Blood, along with Percy's mother, Sally Jackson (Catherine Keener). During their trip to the camp, Percy attempts to learn about his biological father from Sally, but they are attacked by a Minotaur. Although Percy and Grover, who is revealed to be a satyr, make it to the camp, its defenses prohibit entrance to Sally, who is captured by the Minotaur, and disappears before Percy. Percy engages the Minotaur with the magical pen, which turns into a sword named Riptide, eventually killing the creature with one of its horns.

In touring the Camp Half-Blood, Percy learns that Brunner is the mythological centaur Chiron, and the camp's trainer, and that his father is the god Poseidon. He also meets Luke Castellan (Jake Abel), the son of Hermes, and Annabeth Chase (Alexandra Daddario), the demigod daughter of Athena. While at the camp, Percy learns that water has the power to heal his injuries, and allows him to manifest his magical abilities.

Hades later appears and reveals that Sally Jackson is his prisoner, and proposes she be traded for the master bolt. Chiron instructs Percy not to bargain with the demon, but to go to Olympus to convince Zeus of his innocence. Percy sneaks away from the camp to travel to the Underworld, along with Grover and Annabeth, who secure for him from Luke a portable shield, flying shoes and a map to Persephone's pearls, one of which will reveal the exit from the Underworld when retrieved.

At Aunty Em's Garden Emporium, the trio are attacked by Medusa (Uma Thurman), but manage to decapitate her, and take the pearl from her bracelet. They also take her head, which they later successfully use against a hydra that attacks them during their acquisition of another pearl from the crown of a giant statue of Athena at the Parthenon replica in Nashville, Tennessee. They acquire the third and final pearl from a roulette wheel at a hotel casino in Las Vegas, in part with help from Poseidon, who aids them against Lotus Eaters. The map reveals an entrance to the Underworld in Hollywood, California.

The trio enter the Underworld, where, after traveling across the River Styx, they encounter Persephone, who takes them to Hades. Percy attempts to explain to Hades that he is not the lightning thief. During an ensuing melee, Percy drops his shield, whose handle conceals the missing master bolt, which Hades takes. However, the trio manage to reacquire it before escaping the Underworld with the rescued Sally. They are transported to the top of the Empire State Building, which they learn is the location to the entrance to Olympus. They are confronted by Luke, who reveals himself to have been the real lightning thief. Expressing his desire for a new generation of rulers to take over Olympus, he explains that he had hoped that the trio would not have escaped the Underworld alive, and after stealing the bolt from Percy, the two engage in battle. After using his water powers to dispatch Luke, Percy arrives in Olympus, where he presents the retrieved bolt, and reveals the truth about Luke. Poseidon explains to Percy the reason why they could not know each other during Percy's childhood, but expresses his love for his son. Percy returns to Camp Half-Blood, where he resumes his training. Sally forces Gabe out of their apartment, and as he goes to get a beer from the fridge, opens it only to be turned to stone because Medusa's unprotected eyes are staring right back at him.

Main Characters:
* Logan Lerman as Percy Jackson, the film's protagonist, and son of Poseidon.
* Alexandra Daddario as Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena.
* Brandon T. Jackson as Grover Underwood, Percy's best friend, a satyr.

Gods:
* Sean Bean as Zeus, Lord of the Sky and Ruler of Olympus; Hera's husband and brother.
* Kevin McKidd as Poseidon, Zeus's brother; Lord of the Sea and Percy's father.
* Steve Coogan as Hades, Lord of the Dead and the Underworld; Persephone's husband.
* Melina Kanakaredes as Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and Battle Strategies; mother of Annabeth.
* Dylan Neal as Hermes, Messenger of the Gods, God of Thieves and Travelers; Luke's father.
* Rosario Dawson as Persephone, Goddess of Springtime / Queen of the Dead; Hades' wife and Zeus and Demeter's daughter.
* Erica Cerra as Hera, Goddess of women and marriage; Zeus' wife and sister.
* Stefanie von Pfetten as Demeter, Goddess of the Earth and Harvest; Persephone's mother.
* Dimitri Lekkos as Apollo, God of the Sun and Music; Artemis' twin brother.
* Ona Grauer as Artemis, Goddess of the Moon and Hunting; Apollo's twin sister.
* Serinda Swan as Aphrodite, Goddess of Love; Ares' lover, Hephaestus' Wife.
* Conrad Coates as Hephaestus, God of the Forge; Aphrodite's Husband.

Demigods

* Jake Abel as Luke Castellan, son of Hermes

Mythical creatures

* Uma Thurman as Medusa
* Pierce Brosnan as Chiron, trainer of heroes
* Maria Olson as Mrs. Dodds/Alecto, servant to Hades.
* Julian Richings as Charon, ferryman of the River Styx.

Mortals

* Catherine Keener as Sally Jackson, Percy's mother
* Joe Pantoliano as Gabe Ugliano, Percy's stepfather.

Production

In June 2004, 20th Century Fox acquired feature film rights to the book. In April 2007, director Chris Columbus was hired to helm the project. Filming began in April 2009 in Vancouver. Portions of the film were shot at the Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee, a full-scale replica of the original Parthenon in Athens. Filming wrapped up on the morning of July 25, 2009 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Digital intermediate work began in San Francisco in November 2009. Christophe Beck composed the score.

Columbus has stated that the cast were chosen specifically with sequels in mind. " I think with Percy Jackson it was a matter of finding the right cast to fit into these roles, sort of the perfect cast for these roles, because hopefully, God willing, we will go on to do other Percy Jackson films and you want the cast to grow with their characters."