Riverdale Greg Berlanti's Riverdale - Archie Comics-Based Drama on CW

[Jason Kane]

ok this could be interesting. i remember getting archie comics sent over by a relative from canada when i was young. didnt have the heart to tell her when i said comics, i meant batman, spider-man and judge dredd lol


has anyone read afterlife with archie and is it any good

Will bet getting it for christmas but it's a hit based on all the word of mouth online

 

[Sawyer]

 

[Boy Scout]

I've always had kind of a fondness for Archie because we share the same name, so I'll definitely be checking this out.

 

[superhero]

i'll check it out I highly recommend checking out Archie's Weird Mysteries Archie its cartoon and the gang solve Weird Mysteries in river dale kind of long lines of Scooby doo. it come on every day at 2:00 am on qubo

 

[Sawyer]

Riverdale could go hand in hand with the new Archie comic coming out this year...

https://***********/archiecomics/status/544298490181201922

Archie Comics
‏@archiecomics
ARCHIE #1 Coming 2015 from @MarkWaid & @fionastaples. MORE: http://nyti.ms/1zSRGV2
@nytimes #Archie1

 

[Harry Dresden]

Looking forward to this one.

 

[The Question]

Drama? Eh. Archie Comics is defined by absurdity and sincerity. I don't think the book is very good for the most part, but there's a spark of something there that could make for a genuinely wonderful television program if you embrace what Archie is and find the beauty in it. Making it a Fox drama…

 

[Sawyer]

Calling it a drama at this stage is basically only saying that it would be an hour long show instead of half-hour, and it won't be a straight-up comedy. Whatever the actual tone might be is up for grabs. But the writer says there will be humor there, and him bringing up Twin Peaks as a sort of inspiration is absolutely the right way to go, if you were going to do Archie as a drama.

 

[X-Woman]

I can't see it as a straight-faced drama but I could see it as a sort of tongue-in-cheek drama. I'm looking forward to it, whatever they do. I loved Archie comics when I was a kid, and I still do. I gotta check out this show. Oooh boy, I can't wait!

 

[The Question]

Calling it a drama at this stage is basically only saying that it would be an hour long show instead of half-hour, and it won't be a straight-up comedy. Whatever the actual tone might be is up for grabs. But the writer says there will be humor there, and him bringing up Twin Peaks as a sort of inspiration is absolutely the right way to go, if you were going to do Archie as a drama.

Oh wait, they're going for Twin Peaks-style quirky surrealism?

If the writers can pull of that style credibly, then that might actually work.

 

[batdude]

I think they are going to try to get it as close to "Archie meets Buffy" as they can. Afterlife might be too out there for network tv.

 

[Sawyer]

In the interview posted on the last page, the writer says that, if it gets picked up, every Halloween episode will be an Afterlife type episode.

 

[Sawyer]

https://www.yahoo.com/tv/archie-advice-for-riverdale-123483001005.html?soc_src=unv-sh&soc_trk=tw

'Archie' Gets a 'Subversive' TV Makeover
Ethan Alter
Writer
July 7, 2015

Looks like it’s time to get serious about Archie. The long-running comic book chronicling the misadventures of the carrot-topped teen and his Riverdale pals — Betty, Veronica, Jughead, and Reggie, among them — has received a ground-up reboot in the form of the just-released Archie #1. Penned by superstar comic book writer, Mark Waid, the new series brings the character fully into the modern day in terms of fashion sense, music tastes, and even artwork. Archie’s publisher, Archie Comics, will be using the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con weekend to introduce their flagship character’s new attitude with an Archie Forever panel on Friday, July 10 (1 p.m. in Room 4).

One of the items on Archie’s docket is a live-action TV show, tentatively titled Riverdale and overseen by uber-producer, Greg Berlanti, the mind behind such hit comic book series as Arrow and The Flash, along with this fall’s Supergirl. It’s the first live-action series in Archie history, which is more than a little amazing when you consider that the character has been around for 74 years. And it’s not like television hasn’t tried to bring the citizens of Riverdale to life on the small screen before; various cartoon shows came and went over the decades and there were also several live action incarnations that never lasted beyond a single airing.

According to the press release, the new Riverdale, which is still early in the development process, will present a “a bold, subversive take on Archie, Betty, Veronica, and their friends, exploring the surrealistic twists of small-town life plus the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale’s wholesome facade.” (Translation: It’s Twin Peaks meets The O.C.!) That approach squares with some of the bolder experiments the publisher has been trying in recent years, most notably the popular Afterlife With Archie comic series that takes place post-zombie apocalypse. But will a “bold, subversive” Archie be the Archie that the viewing public wants to see? Here, we look back at the character’s TV past to best determine how to proceed with his TV future.

Archie (1964)

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What Worked: The Ferris Bueller-like shenanigans that Archie (John Simpson) pulls to convince his parents that he’s up and walking around when he’s actually asleep in bed are impressive in their ingenuity if not their results. Also, Roland Winters’s Mr. Weatherbee is appropriately weather-beaten by the thought of putting up with young Mr. Andrews.
What Didn’t Work: This Jughead seems desperately in need of brain food, if you catch our drift. Also, Archie’s “It’s not me, it’s them!” attitude towards Betty and Veronica’s competitive advances doesn’t win him any sympathy from us.
Lessons for Riverdale: At least a casual resemblance to the characters sketched on the page would be nice. (How can you even call yourself Archie when your Archie is blond?) Also, try to cast actors who somewhat resemble high school (rather than college) seniors.

The Archie Show (1968)

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What Worked: The theme song is so ‘60s, you could eat it with a lovin’ spoonful. The rest of the music — including “Sugar, Sugar” which became an honest-to-God chart-topping hit in 1969 — is pretty great, too.
What Didn’t Work: The voiceover actors all sound like they’re sucking down helium between takes.
Lessons for Riverdale: Take a page from Glee and Empire and make music a regular part of the show, with The Archies writing and performing original tunes, which can be released after each episode with a full album to follow at the end of the season. Given the tenor of the times, though, the band should probably sing in the key of Grizzly Bear rather than The Monkees.

Archie (1976, 1978)

What Worked: Nobody really knows, because all traces of this one-off live-action ABC special appear to have been erased from the record books. An extremely scratchy recording of a 1978 sequel broadcast can be found, however, and it’s almost as cheestastic as the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special.
What Didn’t Work: David Caruso, apparently. The future CSI: Miami star was originally tapped to play Archie in the 1976 special, but was quickly replaced by Dennis Bowen. (Not quickly enough for the publicity team to correct the special’s credits; this TV Guide listing still credits Caruso as Archie even though Bowen is featured in the ad.) Meanwhile, the variety show structure and fourth-wall breaking antics of the ’78 version are just plain awkward.
Lessons for Riverdale: Don’t get too cute with the structure: Let Archie talk directly to the audience if he must (Waid does the same thing in Archie #1 for what it’s worth), but everyone else should only speak to each other.

The New Archies (1987)

What Worked: In the very first episode, an alien lands in Riverdale, shows off some serious basketball skills, and falls for Betty. That sounds plenty “bold” and “subversive” to us!
What Didn’t Work: The ‘80s flourishes — like café owner Pops folding a video store into his business and Archie calling everyone “dude” — date the series more severely than any issue of the original comic. Also, we frown on the decision to take the characters back to junior high: After all, Archie’s supposed to be the quintessential teen, not the quintessential tween.
Lessons for Riverdale: Sci-fi elements are encouraged, but maybe avoid the blatant E.T. rip-offs. And junior high love triangles are much less compelling than their high school equivalents, so keep the action restricted to grades 9-12.

Archie: To Riverdale and Back (1990)

What Worked: Admit it: It was kind of fun to see what Archie and the gang looked like all grown up in this TV movie.
What Didn’t Work: But boy… what a bunch of losers they all turned out to be! Veronica’s been through four husbands, Betty’s attracted to bad boys, Jughead’s a single dad (who raps “Sugar, Sugar” with his kid to boot), and Archie’s a stuffed suit. This is why they tell kids to never grow up.
Lessons for Riverdale: Leave the characters’ future up to our imagination and focus on the present. Also, never ever turn “Sugar, Sugar” into a rap.

Archie’s Weird Mysteries (1999)

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What Worked: In general, the animated versions of Archie were more willing to be less tethered to reality than the live-action shows. That’s especially true here, where each episode forces the gang to confront such unnatural phenomenons as alternate realities and 50-foot Veronicas.
What Didn’t Work: Actually, this series was pretty fun! Probably not feasible budget-wise for a live action adaptation, but the horror/sci-fi elements presage out-there comics like Afterlife with Archie. (Funnily enough, there’s actually a zombie-themed episode.)
Lessons for Riverdale: If you’ve got an appealing take on the characters, it’s OK to get “weird” or, as you put it, “subversive.”

Archie #1 is available for purchase now. Comic-Con runs July 9-12 in San Diego.

Piece got tweeted by the Senior Vice President of Archie Comics. Good to know that this project is still alive. I wasn't sure because nothing happened with it during pilot season.

 

[Sawyer]

http://deadline.com/2015/07/riverdale-archie-tv-series-cw-pilot-1201472831/

Archie Comics Drama ‘Riverdale’ Moved To CW With Greg Berlanti Producing – Comic Con
by Lisa de Moraes
July 10, 2015 12:38pm

Riverdale — a one-hour drama based on the iconic Archie comic book characters has moved to CW. The subversive take on the well-known franchise’s wholesome town of Riverdale and residents Archie, Betty, Veronica, as well as Josie and the Pussycats, originally was being developed at Fox. Greg Berlanti still is exec producing via Berlanti Productions, in association with Warner Bros TV. Archie Comics’ chief creative officer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is writing the pilot. Sarah Schechter and Jon Goldwater also are EPs.

“When Greg and I started talking about bringing these characters to life, our first thought was that the best home for them would be the CW,” Aguirre-Sacasa told Deadline. “It took a little longer for us to get there, but now that we’re here, it’s feeling terrific.”

At the CW, Berlanti is behind Arrow, The Flash and the upcoming Legends Of Tomorrow. He also is the producer behind the upcoming Supergirl (CBS), Blindspot (NBC) and sophomore The Mysteries Of Laura (NBC). In addition to shepherding Riverdale, Aguirre-Sacasa also is a consulting producer on Supergirl. Aguirre-Sacassa might be best known for writing Afterlife With Archie, in which the Riverdale gang is visited by the undead, and The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina, which has been described as the more “nuanced” of the two titles and tracks Sabrina’s encounters with witches and covens.

Archie Comics recently relaunched its flagship character with a new Archie #1. Like Riverdale, the new comic, written by Mark Waid and drawn by Fiona Staples, is a reboot of the classic.

Probably a greater chance of survival there, tbh. Hope they keep the Archie meets Twin Peaks angle.

 

[Wheels]

I heard Afterlife with Archie and the new Sabrina comic are amazing. Need to check them out.

 

[Sawyer]

http://www.comicbookresources.com/a...ter-announces-live-action-riverdale-tv-series

On Archie's big news from the convention, a live-action "Riverdale" on The CW:

Jon Goldwater: We have a TV series written by our Chief Creative Officer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, produced by the mighty Greg Berlanti who does "Arrow" and "Flash" and tons of other things right now, he's got "Supergirl" coming and all sorts of fantastic stuff. So we are producing a television series called "Riverdale" for The CW.

It is the perfect place, we are excited beyond belief and we are announcing it right here at Comic-Con, and Jonah you are the first to hear about it.

This is a current, modern, live-action take of Archie and Betty and Veronica. It's the love triangle with a lot of surprises. Very current, very modern, not anything that's retro or that anyone could view as stuck in the past. It's contemporary high school 2016 of Archie and the gang.

So it's going to be fantastic, we're gonna bring in some other characters from the Archie Universe which Roberto can talk to you about. We're expanding, it's not just the Riverdale gang. You know, we have a big library of characters, so some of them are gonna be there as well and the show is going to be called "Riverdale."

On whether there are plans to introduced new characters on the show and bring them into the comics:

I leave that completely up to Roberto and Greg, but I think right now we have such a rich library of characters that I think the initial season anyway is gonna be focusing on the characters everybody knows, especially Archie, Betty and Veronica. Those are the main characters that are gonna pull the show forward. Jughead's gonna have a big part. Of course Kevin Keller is gonna be a major part of this as well. Look, down the line, or even Season 1 if Roberto and Greg think it makes sense, that would be great.

And yeah, I'm open to bringing anything into the publishing universe. For me, the publishing is all about having fun and enjoying what you're doing and putting out books that are entertaining. That's how we feel about the TV series as well. We want to entertain people.

On when the pilot will be cast and produced:

I think we're talking very soon. I think you're talking the top of 2016, I think we're right there.

On whether any plans for the show affected the direction of the publishing line and how it changes the perception of Archie as a company even further:

Our publishing line is all independent. It's independent but it all runs, as you suggested, concurrently, at the same time. This is a game changer. I want that target on my back. If you remember, you and I spoke a few years ago and I said, 'I want to be in the same sandbox as Marvel, the same sandbox as DC.' We're gonna play together in this sandbox, and there's room for all of us because Archie is its own thing, and Archie is, next year, 75 years-old. We're as iconic as any of their characters. Yeah, I want that target on my back. Bring it on.

 

[Gee]

CW? Can't wait to see the female leads they cast.

 

[Boy Scout]

Jesus, everything is happening in 2016.

 

[Sawyer]

Has anyone picked up the new Archie #1 by Mark Waid. I did and I was really into it.

 

[signalman]

Yeah ARCHIE #1 was Da Bomb.
Excellent work especially by the artist.

 

[Spidey220987]

A live-action version of Archie's Weird Mysteries would be good

[YT]watch?v=Qy-LmJ12d0I[/YT]

 

[batdude]

Has anyone picked up the new Archie #1 by Mark Waid. I did and I was really into it.

It was kind of Archie meets meets Saved by the Bell. Could be interesting though.

 

[nite-owl]

Has anyone picked up the new Archie #1 by Mark Waid. I did and I was really into it.

I didn't know it was out.

I don't really know much about Archie but I' am looking forward to this show.

 

[Sawyer]

Elizabeth Lail for Betty Cooper pls.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

Archie meets Twin Peaks sounds interesting. I'll give this a try, assuming the cast aren't revealed as lizard people or something.