Merrick here...

Chris Columbus is swinging in to direct and produce an adaptation of Rick Riordan's novel THE LIGHTNING THIEF, which is the first installment in the author’s PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS series.

"Thief" centers on a young boy who discovers that he is the descendant of a Greek god and sets out -- with the help of a satyr and a daughter of Athena -- on a dangerous adventure to settle an ongoing battle between the gods. Along the way, he faces a host of mythological enemies determined to stop him. He also must come to terms with a father he has never known and an oracle that has warned him of betrayal by a friend.

…says an article HERE. When I first read this description, images of LEAVE IT TO BEAVER –MEETS- CLASH OF THE TITANS popped to mind. I’m not sure why, but they need to go away.

I’ve always had mixed feelings about Columbus. While I respect his perilous journey to the Americas, I’ve always found his films to be well produced but utterly lacking involvement and vibrancy. And, he was an Executive Producer on FANTASTIC FOUR. So, you know…

THIEF joins DARK MATERIALS, HARRY POTTER, and THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA in the pantheon of ongoing franchises dedicated to bringing youth-slanted books to the big screen.