This is…different. Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, and the rest of the gang are making the jump to live-action this fall. Riverdale is part of The CW”s 2016-2017 mid-season line-up, but based on the latest information, this isn”t your childhood Archie Comics.
More like Twin Peaks meets Dawson”s Creek. Check out this official synopsis that includes a startling new characterization for one Ms. Grundy!
As a new school year begins, the town of Riverdale is reeling from the recent, tragic death of high school golden boy Jason Blossom, and nothing feels the same. Archie Andrews (KJ Apa) is still the all-American teen, but the summer's events made him realize that he wants to pursue a career in music — not follow in his dad's footsteps–despite the sudden end of his forbidden relationship with Riverdale's young music teacher, Ms. Grundy (Sarah Habel). Which means Archie doesn't have anyone who will mentor him — certainly not singer Josie McCoy (Ashleigh Murray), who is only focused on her band, the soon-to-be-world-famous Pussycats. It's all weighing heavily on Archie's mind — as is his fractured friendship with budding writer and fellow classmate Jughead Jones (Cole Sprouse).
Meanwhile, girl-next-door Betty Cooper (Lili Reinhart) is anxious to see her crush Archie after being away all summer, but she's not quite ready to reveal her true feelings to him. And Betty's nerves — which are hardly soothed by her overbearing mother Alice (Mädchen Amick) aren't the only thing holding her back.
When a new student, Veronica Lodge (Camila Mendes), arrives in town from New York with her mother Hermione (Marisol Nichols), there's an undeniable spark between her and Archie, even though Veronica doesn't want to risk her new friendship with Betty by making a play for Archie.
And then there's Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch)… Riverdale's Queen Bee is happy to stir up trouble amongst Archie, Betty, and Veronica, but Cheryl is keeping secrets of her own. What, exactly, is she hiding about the mysterious death of her twin brother, Jason? Riverdale may look like a quiet, sleepy town, but there are dangers in the shadows…
Based on the characters from Archie Comics, RIVERDALE is from Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios, in association with Berlanti Productions, with executive producers Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (“Supergirl,” “Glee”), Greg Berlanti (“Arrow,” “The Flash,” “Supergirl,” “DC's Legends of Tomorrow”), Sarah Schechter (“Arrow,” “The Flash,” “Supergirl,” “DC's Legends of Tomorrow”) and Jon Goldwater (Archie Comics).
The CW also released the first title card image for Riverdale. A spooky scene filled with zombie fog and an abandoned boat could allude to the fate of Jason Blossom. Or it could merely be setting the tone by announcing this iteration of the Archie Universe won”t be as candy-colored as the recently rebooted (and critically acclaimed) comic series. If anything, this image invoked feelings of Archie Comics” AFTERLIFE series that takes classic Archie characters and drops them into a horror/zombie/satanist timeline.
Back at San Diego Comic-Con in 2015, Archie Comics CCO Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa briefly spoke to HitFix Harpy about Riverdale, which was still in development at the time. He hinted that “a version of Sabrina [the Teenage Witch]” wasn”t out of the realm of possibility for the show. With imagery like the one above, a little hint of supernatural would fit right in.
Riverdale premieres on The CW this winter.