Although the CW is currently seen by many as “DC Comics TV,” the world of Archie Comics will soon be making its home at the network as well. Riverdale—based on the home town locale of Archie Comics lore—is currently casting its pilot episode, and has found two of its four main characters. Lili Reinhart (Surviving Jack) has been cast to play the part of Betty Cooper, while former Disney Channel star Cole Sprouse (The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody) will play Jughead Jones on the show.
The pilot is being executive produced by Greg Berlanti, who—between Arrow, Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, and now Riverdale—plans on not sleeping for the rest of the year, apparently. The pilot will be set in the present day, and is described as “a subversive take on Archie, Betty, Veronica, and their friends, exploring the surrealism of small-town life — the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale’s wholesome façade.” So, it’s Archie meets Twin Peaks? Sign me up!
The Betty Cooper of this new series is described as being “sweet, studious, eager-to-please and wholesome with a huge crush on her longtime best friend, Archie. Tired of being the perfect daughter, student, sister, etc., she turns to her new friend, Veronica, for life advice — much to the consternation of her emotionally brittle mother.” As for our new Jughead, he is described as a “heartthrob with a philosophical bent and former best friend of Archie Andrews. He is still smarting from the rift that took place between the two.”
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, chief creative officer of Archie Comics, wrote the Riverdale pilot and is executive producing alongside Greg Berlanti. Before his time at Archie, Aguirre-Sacasa also wrote several Marvel comics over the years like Fantastic Four and Spider-Man, and was a staff writer on Big Love and Glee.
Are you excited for an all-new take on the Riverdale gang? Are you hoping for an Afterlife with Archie level of weirdness? Let us know in the comments below.
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HT: Deadline
IMAGE: Archie Comics
