Just when we thought ‘Riverdale‘ had delivered it all, musical numbers, supernatural chaos, and the epic highs and lows of high school football, Archie and his friends are preparing for another television outing. Only this time, we get to see the zombies.
Disney+ is developing a new series based on ‘Afterlife With Archie‘, the horror comic series created by ‘Riverdale‘ showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. But as exciting as a zombie-filled ‘Riverdale‘ sounds, the speculation is high on whether the original ‘Riverdale‘ stars will be back for this new chapter.
A New Chapter For ‘Riverdale’ World
Archie and his friends are stepping into a new setting on a new platform. According to Deadline, Disney+ has given ‘Afterlife With Archie‘ a script-to-series commitment. The project comes from the same powerhouse team that delivered ‘Riverdale‘ and Netflix’s ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: Aguirre-Sacasa‘, Greg Berlanti’s Berlanti Productions, and Warner Bros. Television.
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In 2014, after penning both ‘Afterlife With Archie‘ and ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina‘, he was appointed Chief Creative Officer of Archie Comics. Later that year, ‘Riverdale‘ was sold to Fox before moving to The CW, where it ran for seven seasons and even spawned the spinoff Katy Keene. Netflix’s ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina‘ added another 36 episodes across four parts to its portfolio. Now, Aguirre-Sacasa’s other horror title is finally heading to the screen.
But with so many familiar names behind the camera, fans are left wondering about the biggest question of all: Will the faces in front of the camera be the ones they already know?
Could The ‘Riverdale’ Cast Come Back For ‘Afterlife With Archie’?
As viewers, we spent six years following Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead through the chaos of ‘Riverdale‘. So, it’s natural for us to hope the same cast might return for this darker story. KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, and Cole Sprouse became synonymous with these roles. And their presence would make ‘Afterlife With Archie‘ feel like a true continuation.
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However, the current word is that fans shouldn’t get their hopes up. Casting has not yet been announced. But it’s not expected that any of the original actors from ‘Riverdale‘ will reprise their roles. With the CW series wrapping in 2023, it appears the new Disney+ show will introduce a completely fresh cast.
Even without the same stars, the Archie TV world has thrived through reinvention and crossover. With ‘Afterlife With Archie‘, fans can expect the same and perhaps even a few surprises. Cameos, alternate versions of characters, or Easter eggs aren’t out of the question either.
So, will Archie and his friends look the same when they face a zombie apocalypse? For now, the answer is no. The original cast isn’t expected to return. That means, ‘Afterlife With Archie‘ can make its own space in the franchise with new actors at the helm.
