Last year, we heard that Archie Comics leading man, Archie Andrews, would be making the leap from the inked page to the big screen. Now it seems that feature adaptation has been canned, as THR reports that Fox are developing a one-hour drama based on the same characters from the comics, entitled Riverdale.
While the news that yet another beloved comic book adaptation is bound for the small screen may be met with derision, let’s first address who’ll be in charge of the project. Greg Berlanti will oversee production under his Berlanti Productions banner in cahoots with Warner Bros. TV. That partnership has been responsible for a number of successful adaps, including Arrow and The Flash. A proven track record means we’re likely to see a thoughtful approach to the material.
Speaking of the content, what exactly can we expect Riverdale to focus on? Well, according to the description released by THR, it’s a little… sinister.
Riverdale follows the main crew of Archie, Betty, Veronica and their friends, as they explore the surrealistic twists of small-town life, in addition to the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale’s wholesome facade. Set in fictional town of Riverdale, N.Y., the drama will focus on the love triangle of Archie Andrews, girl-next-door Betty Cooper and rich socialite Veronica Lodge.
The entire cast of supporting characters, including Reggie Mantle, Archie’s rival; Jughead Jones, Archie’s best friend; Kevin Keller, a popular gay character; and Josie and the Pussycats; will also be featured and introduced.
Surrealistic twists? Darkness and weirdness bubbling? Doesn’t sound like the wholesome nature of Archie whatsoever! But with original feature scribe Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa on scripting duties, that’s not entirely unexpected. Aguirre-Sacasa, who also serves as Archie Comics Chief Creative Officer, is credited with bringing a darker run of Archie comics to publication. His Afterlife With Archie series placed the main characters in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, so it’s safe to say that we should expect the unexpected with Riverdale.
