Riverdale is about to become considerably less welcoming, as Disney+ has officially ordered ‘Afterlife With Archie’ to series, with the live-action zombie drama set to premiere around Halloween 2027.
Based on the bestselling Archie Comics series by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla, the hour-long drama turns the all-American town of Riverdale into a zombie-overrun apocalypse. Apparently, surviving your teenage years was not difficult enough already.
The story begins when a supernatural spell from a certain teenage witch backfires, unleashing an army of possessed corpses across Riverdale. Archie and his friends are forced to fight for survival as their friendships, romances and loyalties are tested by the rapidly growing undead population.
The series comes from many of the people behind ‘Riverdale’ and ‘Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina’. Aguirre-Sacasa will write and executive produce alongside Jimmy Gibbons through Muckle Man. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Leigh London Redman executive produce through Berlanti Productions, with Jon Goldwater representing Archie Comics Studios.
Warner Bros. Television will produce the show, marking the studio’s first series for Disney+.
“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, 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.”
Aguirre-Sacasa previously served as showrunner on ‘Riverdale’ and ‘Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina’, both of which expanded the traditionally wholesome Archie universe into significantly darker territory. However, ‘Afterlife With Archie’ will go several decomposing steps further by dropping the gang into a full-blown zombie apocalypse.
“This was the comic book that started it all. Before there was a Riverdale, before there was a Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, there was Afterlife with Archie, which I collaborated on with the best horror artist in the business, Francesco Francavilla,” said Aguirre-Sacasa. “Getting to turn Afterlife into a TV series for the amazing team at Disney+ with our incredible partners at Berlanti Productions, WB and, of course, Jon (Goldwater) and his Archie family is truly a full-circle moment — and the ultimate dream project for me. Time to say a prayer for Archie, Betty, Veronica and the whole gang, ‘cause THE ZOMBIES ARE COMING!!!!”
No casting has been announced yet, so we do not currently know who will be playing Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Sabrina and the rest of Riverdale’s increasingly edible residents.
‘Afterlife With Archie’ premieres Halloween 2027 on Disney+.
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1 comment
This is based on a comic by the same writer that never actually finished and was left hanging. Perhaps he could finish that first?
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