The CW is very quickly becoming television’s home for comic book television. In addition to their DC Comics slate (Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and now Supergirl), the CW also airs iZombie, based on the Vertigo series of the same name, and has just announced they’re picking up Riverdale, a high school drama based on characters from Archie Comics.
After being rejected by Fox, the Riverdale pilot quickly became a favorite over at the CW, where the Greg Berlanti-produced show has now been given a full season order. And no one can be exactly shocked the network was so enthused - after all, come the fall the CW will be airing a total of five series overseen by Berlanti. Along with Riverdale, the CW also gave series orders to Frequency, a TV adaptation of the 2000 film and Jane the Virgin’s Brad Silberling’s latest, No Tomorrow.
Though featuring famous teenagers Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead, Riverdale isn’t intended to be an exact adaptation of the long-running Archie Comics. If anything, the television series is pulling more inspiration from the recent All-New Archie Comics, written by Mark Waid with current artwork from Veronica Fish, the artist also responsible for Riverdale’s promo artwork (seen above and below).
Still, Riverdale is very much its own series, described as a “surprising and subversive” take on the characters, focusing on the “surrealism of small town life — the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale’s wholesome façade.” Which isn’t quite the hijinks of the classic Archie Comics or the rom-com vibe of All-New Archie, but a series more in the CW mold.
The Riverdale pilot, and presumably the season to follow, stars newcomer KJ Apa as Archie Andrews, Lili Reinhard as Betty Cooper, Camila Mendes as Veroinca Lodge, and Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones. Also appearing is Ashleigh Murray as Josie (of Josie and the Pussycats), Madelaine Petsch as Cheryl Blossom, and Luke Perry as Fred Andrews.
Yet even these familiar characters won’t be exactly as fans remember them. For instance, Archie begins the series after getting “pumped up over the summer working construction,” which is far cry from the clumsy Archie who in the second issue of All-New Archie managed to wreck an entire construction site during his first day on the job. Riverdale’s Jughead is even more different by comparison, rumored to a be a hearing-impaired character in this version - a rather interesting twist on Archie’s traditionally sarcastic, food-obsessed best friend.
Riverdale is expected to premiere on The CW this fall. Stay tuned to Screen Rant for more info!
Source: The CW [via Deadline]
