Iconic Riverdale Gang to get surreal (and serious?) as live-action drama
It can be easy to forget, but even in this age of superhero-domination one of the most popular and enduring ensembles in comics remains the perpetual teenagers of the Archie universe. The teenaged antics of Riverdale have experienced a renaissance in recent years, with stories tackling social issues, zombie outbreaks, alternate-timeline wedding stories and even the death of Archie himself. Now, that renaissance is set to bring Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica and the rest to TV.
A pitch from Arrow and Flash co-producer Greg Berlanti for a live-action drama based on the Archie characters is now in development at the Fox network. Currently titled Riverdale, the concept is described as a “subversive” take on the franchise, promising to explore “the surreality of small-town life – the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale’s wholesome façade.” (So… Desperate Housewives, but with Archie?) No casting or other production details are available at this juncture.
Archie was created in 1941 by writer Bob Montana. The squeaky-clean teen comedy/romance stories, in which hapless hero Archie Andrews juggles the affections of girl-next-door Betty Cooper and wealthy heiress Veronica Lodge while paling around with Jughead Jones and others spans over 70 years of comics history over dozens of books focusing on multiple characters and side-stories. Despite its substantial pop-culture presence, the franchise has only been adapted to live-action one other time – a To Riverdale And Back Again TV-movie in 1990.
Source: Deadline Hollywood
