Disney+ has ordered a series version of the comic Afterlife With Archie, Variety reports.
The show was initially reported to be in development with a script-to-series commitment at the streamer in 2025. Disney is planning to potentially launch the series around Halloween 2027.
As previously reported, the show is based on the comic series by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla. The logline reads, “When a teenage witch’s supernatural spell backfires and unleashes an army of the dead that has haunted Riverdale, Archie and his friends must fight for survival, testing the friendship, romance, and loyalty that have always bound them together.”
Aguirre-Sacasa wrote the screenplay and is executive producing through his Muckleman Productions. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Lee London Redman of Berlanti Productions will serve as executive producers, with John Goldwater of Archie Comics Studios and Jimmy Gibbons of Muckleman also serving as executive producers. The studio is Warner Bros. Television, which has an overall agreement with both Berlanti Productions and Muckleman.
“‘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 of Disney Kids & Family. “Roberto, Greg, Sarah and John have a deep appreciation for these characters and have built something thrilling and heartwarming in equal measure. Fans will fall hard for this new version of the gang…and maybe even scream a little.”
Aguirre-Sacasa is repped by WME and Sloan Offer. Mr. Berlanti and Mr. Schechter, like Mr. Goldwater, are representing CAA.
Aguirre-Sacasa and Berlanti previously collaborated on the Riverdale series, a dark reinterpretation of the Archie comics filled with murder, mystery and jingle jangle. The show aired for seven seasons on The CW and remained highly popular throughout its run.
“We’re thrilled to reunite with Roberto in this exciting series that brings us back to the world of Riverdale that we love so much. We’re grateful to Disney+ and WBTV for giving us the opportunity to revisit our favorite characters in a unique and thrilling way,” Berlanti and Schechter added. “A special thank you to John Goldwater for letting us continue to play within the beloved Archie universe and trusting us to bring Archie’s many different stories to life.”
In addition to his work on “Riverdale,” Aguirre-Sacasa also serves as chief creative officer at Archie Comics. He and Robert Hack also created the comic The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which Aguirre-Sacasa developed as a Netflix series that ran for two seasons. He and Michael Grassi also developed the “Riverdale” spinoff Katy Keene. Berlanti Productions and WBTV produced all shows.
“The world of Archie and Riverdale is the gift that keeps on giving, and all of us at WBTVG are thrilled to bring Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s incredible story to life with our partners at Berlanti Productions, Archie Comics, and Disney+,” said Channing Dungey, chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Television Group and WBD US Networks.
“This was the comic that started it all. Before there was ‘Riverdale,’ before there was ‘The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,’ there was ‘Afterlife with Archie,’ which we co-created with the best horror artist in the business, Francesco Francavilla,” Aguirre-Sacasa said. “Turning ‘Afterlife’ into a TV series for the amazing team at Disney+, along with our amazing partners at Berlanti Productions, WB, and of course John (Goldwater) and his ‘Archie’ family, is a true full-circle moment and the ultimate dream project for me. It’s time to say a prayer for Archie, Betty, Veronica, and the whole gang, because the zombies are coming!!!”
“I’m really excited to see the iconic ‘Afterlife with Archie’ come to life. This is a series that has meant so much to me since the first issue of the comic was released all those years ago,” Goldwater added. “This series was always destined to be live-action, and it’s a dream come true to finally have the opportunity to make it happen. Not only that, but getting back in the saddle to work with Roberto, Greg and Sara again feels like a real homecoming. We’re so grateful to everyone at Disney+ for taking a chance on this series. We can’t wait for the zombie invasion to take over TV screens around the world.”
