Charley and Vlas Parlapanides
Charles Parlapanides | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nationality | Greek American |
| Education | Swarthmore College Loyola Law School |
| Occupation(s) | Creator, Screenwriter, Executive Producer |
| Employer(s) | Netflix Relativity Media |
| Known for | Blood of Zeus Immortals (2011 film) Death Note (2017 film) Everything For A Reason |
| Website | Official website |
Vlas Parlapanides | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Nationality | Greek American |
| Education | Villanova University |
| Occupation(s) | Creator, Screenwriter, Executive Producer |
| Employer(s) | Netflix Relativity Media |
| Known for | Blood of Zeus Immortals (2011 film) Death Note (2017 film) Everything For A Reason |
| Website | Official website |
Charley Kiriakos Parlapanides and Vlas Parlapanides are American screenwriters, producers, and directors. They are best known for co-creating the Netflix animated series Blood of Zeus, which achieved significant success and earned them a Writers Guild of America Award.[1] The duo also co-wrote the films Immortals (2011) and Death Note (2017).
Early life and education
[edit]Charley and Vlas Parlapanides were born and raised in Seaside Park, New Jersey, to Vlas Sr. and Angeliki Parlapanides of Greek descent. Vlas is a graduate of Villanova University,[2] while Charley attended Central Regional High School.[3]
Charley also has a degree in economics from Swarthmore College and played as a defensive lineman on the college’s football team for four seasons. He later earned a law degree from Loyola Law School.[4]
Career
[edit]Charley and Vlas Parlapanides began their professional careers as screenwriters before transitioning into producing and directing. In 2000 they developed their first independent feature film, Everything for a Reason which premiered at the AFI International Film Festival.[5] Vlas Parlapanides served as writer and director, while Charley Parlapanides produced the project. The brothers also appeared in minor acting roles.[6]
Their Greek background has influenced a number of their creative works, particularly those centered on mythology.[7] In 2008 they were announced as the screenwriters for the film War of Gods to be directed by Tarsem Singh. Early reports indicated that the visual style of the film would resemble that of 300.[6] The brothers gained recognition with the 2011 action-fantasy film Immortals, which was directed by Tarsem Singh and starred Henry Cavill, Mickey Rourke, and Freida Pinto. The screenplay was produced by Relativity Media and drew inspiration from Greek mythology, particularly the story of Theseus.[8]
In 2020, the brothers co-created the animated series Blood of Zeus for Netflix, developed by Powerhouse Animation Studios.[9] The series centers on Heron, a demigod and son of Zeus, and incorporates elements of Greek mythology.[10] It was praised for its narrative, animation style, and mythological themes, and was subsequently renewed for a second season, which premiered in 2024.[11]
In November 2020, Den of Geek praised Charley and Vlas Parlapanides for creating Blood of Zeus, calling it a “radical reimagining of Greek mythology” that blends emotional depth with mythic scope. The outlet noted that their approach—balancing mature storytelling with blockbuster action—helped the series stand out within Netflix’s growing slate of adult animation, earning critical acclaim and resonating with both fans of mythology and genre audiences alike.[12]
In 2023, Collider ranked Blood of Zeus at number two on its list of the “10 Best TV Shows Based on Mythology”, placing it ahead of live-action series such as Outlander and American Gods, and only behind Vikings in the ranking.[13] The list described the series as a near-universal favorite among mythology adaptations for its originality.
Beyond these works, the Parlapanides brothers have written screenplays for major studios such as Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures.[14] They have also contributed to the development of television pilots and feature films across both live-action and animated formats.[15]
Film
[edit]- Immortals (2011) – Writers
- Death Note (2017) - Co-Writers
- Everything For A Reason - Writers, Director, Producers
Television
[edit]- Blood of Zeus (2020–present) – Creators, writers, executive producers
References
[edit]- ^ "'Blood of Zeus' Earns 2025 WGA Awards Animation Nomination". Animation World Network. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
- ^ Writer, Matthew Gaetano Staff. "Alumnus Vlas Parlapanides '93 Talks "Blood of Zeus"". The Villanovan. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
- ^ Jordan, Chris. "Meet the Jersey Shore brothers behind the Netflix animated hit 'Blood of Zeus'". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
- ^ "Then & Now: Charley Parlapanides '99". Swarthmore College Athletics. October 20, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
- ^ Parlapanides, Charles; Parlapanides, Vlas (March 3, 2025). "Life & Work with Charles Parlapanides of Los Angeles". Voyage LA (Interview).
- ^ a b "The Brothers Parlapanides". GreekReporter.com. July 12, 2008. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
- ^ Ebenau, Vin (October 15, 2020). "From Central Regional to Hollywood: How Parlapanides brothers made it big". 92.7 WOBM. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
- ^ Lundy, Chris (February 7, 2025). "High School To Hollywood: "Blood Of Zeus" Writers Nominated For WGA Award". Jersey Shore Online. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
- ^ "Interview With 'Blood of Zeus' Creators Charley & Vlas Parlapanides on the Returning Netflix Animated Series". What's on Netflix. May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
- ^ Leontaritis, Alexander (December 19, 2010). "Inside the Minds of the Parlapanides Brothers". GreekReporter.com. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
- ^ Bond, Lacey (July 3, 2024). "Interview: Netflix's "Blood of Zeus" with Charley and Vlas Parlapanides and Cissy Jones". TEMPLE OF GEEK. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
- ^ Den of Geek, Daniel Kurland (November 5, 2020). "Gods and Monsters: Charley and Vlas Parlapanides on Creating Netflix's "Blood of Zeus"". BubbleBlabber (Den of Geek). Retrieved August 6, 2025.
- ^ Collider. "10 Best TV Shows Based on Mythology, Ranked". Retrieved August 5, 2025.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (March 9, 2015). "'American Sniper's' Robert Lorenz Signs First Look Deal with WB; Sets New Film with Jason Hall (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
- ^ "The Parlapanides Brothers Talk Greek Family Soap Operas and 'Blood of Zeus' Season 3". Animation World Network. Retrieved May 15, 2025.