Riverdale Creators Announce Archie’s Return in New Horror Series

Photo: Kailey Schwerman/The CW

The residents of Riverdale are heading to Disney Plus for a transformation unlike anything fans have witnessed before. The streaming platform confirmed that its long-gestating project, Afterlife with Archie, has officially received a green light and is slated for a Halloween 2027 debut.

The series will be spearheaded by executive producers Greg Berlanti, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, and the team at Warner Bros. Television—the creative powerhouse behind the hit shows Riverdale and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Based on the chilling 2013 comic series written by Aguirre-Sacasa with art by Francesco Francavilla, the show follows the iconic ensemble as they struggle to survive a harrowing zombie outbreak sparked by one of Sabrina’s spells gone awry.

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Francesco Francavilla/Archie Comics

While the source material thrives on grotesque horror, it manages to maintain the core themes of adolescent romance and internal conflict that define the franchise. Reflecting on the announcement, Aguirre-Sacasa noted in a statement: “This comic ignited it all. Adapting Afterlife for television is a full-circle moment and a dream project. It’s time to offer up prayers for Archie and his friends—because the undead are coming.”

The live-action predecessor, Riverdale, enjoyed a seven-season run from 2017 to 2023. What started as a gritty, melodramatic reimagining of the classic comics eventually evolved into a surreal odyssey, particularly by season 6, when supernatural elements and witchcraft fully integrated the show with the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina universe.

Though the original Afterlife with Archie comic series spanned only ten issues, Aguirre-Sacasa shared last year that he had resumed writing for the property. While he confirmed that scripts for issues eleven and twelve are complete, fans are still awaiting an official release. Casting details remain under wraps, though viewers are already speculating about potential appearances from original Riverdale cast members.

Source: Polygon