Archie Comics and its various spin-offs have remained incredibly popular over the years (it's been over 8 decades since the first publication), and The CW's Riverdale series introduced a new generation to Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead and friends.
It was probably only a matter of time before the property was revisited, and we recently got word on two separate projects currently in development for the big and small screens.
First reported by Jeff Sneider in his newsletter and later backed up by the trades, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are set to produce an Archie movie for Universal Pictures, with Comic book writer Tom King (Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow) on board to pen the script.
“We are longtime fans of Archie, Veronica, Betty, and the gang in all of their iterations,” said Lord and Miller in a statement. “When we heard Tom King’s take on the classic material, we instantly thought it made sense as an event movie for all audiences—both lifelong fans and a whole new generation. We’re so excited to bring these beloved characters to the big screen.”
Now, Variety has confirmed that a live-action Afterlife with Archie series is also moving forward on Disney+.
The show is based on the comic book series from Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla, and has Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Leigh London Redman of Berlanti Productions on board as executive producers, along with Jon Goldwater of Archie Comics Studios and Jimmy Gibbons of Muckle Man.
The logline reads, “When a supernatural spell from a certain teen-witch backfires, unleashing an army of the possessed dead upon Riverdale, Archie and his friends must fight to stay alive, testing the friendships, romances, and loyalties that have always held them together.”
“Afterlife With Archie has always been about more than just zombies — it’s about the friendships, loyalty and humanity that make Riverdale worth fighting for,” said Ayo Davis, president of Disney Kids & Family. “Roberto, Greg, Sarah and Jon have such a deep appreciation for these characters, and they’ve built something that’s equal parts thrilling and heartfelt. Fans are going to fall hard for this new version of the gang … and maybe scream a little too.”
“We are so happy to reunite with Roberto on this exciting series that takes us back into the Riverdale world that we so love, and we are thankful to Disney+ and WBTV for giving us the opportunity to revisit some of our favorite characters in a unique and thrilling way,” Berlanti and Schechter added. “A special thank you to Jon Goldwater for letting us continue to play within the beloved ‘Archie’ universe and trusting us to bring Archie’s various stories to life.”