I saw a preview of this movie before Sherlock Holmes. The movie seems fair enough - a mix of “Sky High” and “Clash Of The Titans”, maybe - but what’s up with the title? I lost interest by the time the announcer got to the second “The”.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/percy_jackson_and_the_olympians_the_lightning_thief/
It’s based on a fairly popular series of teen books (Percy Jackson & The Olympians), of which The Lightning Thief is the first book in the series.
It’s not Twilight, but I think it’ll do better than The Vampire’s Assistant (also based on a teen bestseller) at any rate.
A quick search revealed that it’s also one in a series of popular children’s books. I suspect that kids who like the series or see all their friends reading it will be very interested, regardless of title, and that’s probably exactly who it’s aiming at.
Edit: After posting, I see the age group is older. Curse you, Internet, for not distinguishing between Children’s and Young Adult Fiction!
I’m reading the first volume to my son and we are excited. If it flops, it will not be because of the title. It will be because made it more of Sky High and not enough Clash of the Titans.
I haven’t been following these books (although I’ve been aware of them for quite some time), and neither has my 12 year old daughter. But I think that I have a semi-professional interest in seeing this and the new Clash of the Titans.
Oddly, I suspect this will be the more accurate of the two.
The books are also great for anyone with a more than passing interest in Latin/Greek Mythology as I’ve read the books and there are plenty of side references and jokes in there that I doubt any kid or teenager that hasn’t had at least a few years of Latin with the proper cultural education wouldn’t be getting. It’s def. a great book for a (mythologically well read) Adult to read to their kids because it’s got two layers to it.
I’ve read all the books and am looking forward to the movie. Fingers crossed that it’s not poorly done.
I just regret that the books have become so popular - and in doing so, they’ve taken a great talent away from Adult Fiction.
Rick Riordan wrote some great mystery novels for adults before he realized he could sell more books to kids.
Almost as bad as the similar loss of Pete Hautman from Adult Fiction to Young Adult Fiction.
That title’s almost as bad as The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring!
Worse that that? The Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl.
Yeah and what about The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension?
Oh wait, that movie did flop…
You want to talk about unwieldy movie titles? How about Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans?
As for Percy Jackson And The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, it’s the latest attempt by Hollywood to establish a franchise as successful as the Harry Potter film series. I was hoping that the A Series of Unfortunate Events movie might have started a franchise, but it didn’t do well enough.
I’ve seen the commercials for this movie and I thought the title seemed reminiscent of all the Harry Potter books and movies. Looks like a fun movie for the kids.
Woohoo! Thanks for the awesome news!
While it does have a built-in audience I think the OP is right to wonder about a title like that. Last I checked The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus made back about $5m of its (estimated) $45m budget. Still waiting for the numbers for The Contrabulous Fabtraption of Professor Horatio Hufnagel.
Thank you! I didn’t even know they were doing a movie. 
We love Percy Jackson at this house. Yes the title is unwieldy because it is a series and the producers obviously want bash everyone over the head with that. It’s the basic problem with Sci-fi/fantasy series. There’s the book title and the series title. So which one do producers use for the first movie? Which one will people recognize more? Why choose? Letters are cheap.
anyway, they are fun YA books. They aren’t great literature, but they are pretty good with a fun plot and likable characters. Terribly predictable in places, but it does draw pretty heavily from mythology. Classic hero’s journey story.
Chris Columbus, who directed HP 1, is the director of this one.
I think people have gotten accustomed to the practice which is why I don’t think it matters.
#2 son is eagerly awaiting the film’s debut.
I was amused to watch the trailer and see that the producers have aged up the characters a bit. Percy is 12 years old in the first book, this kid looks to be at least 16. I think this is to help capture the giggly girl market.
I don’t see any problem with “Peter Jackson And the Thief of Olympian Lightning” at all.