A beloved franchise is taking major inspiration from The Last of Us and The Walking Dead for Disney in 2027.
Halloween is approaching, as numerous streaming services are bringing fitting content to the beloved celebration. However, some studios are already working on plans for next year’s event, and one of them will take a massive story from the world of comics.
In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, KJ Apa, who played Archie Andrews on Riverdale, opened up about the Afterlife with Archie TV adaptation that Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is developing for Disney+, after creating The CW drama based on the beloved comic imprint. The star shared how “I spoke to Roberto, who was our showrunner for Riverdale, who’s also showrunning that show. And I’m really excited. I can’t wait to see who they cast as Archie and the gang,” seemingly confirming that the iconic characters will be recast for the 2027 project.
However, while no one has been cast for the post-apocalyptic entry, the New Zealand actor made it clear that he would be open to showing up in a new role to pay homage to his time as part of the Riverdale cast. He shared how “it’d be cool if we could do some cameos or something. I asked him! I would think that would be really fun if I could come in for a scene. I don’t know who I’d play, but it’d be fun to do.”
Apa also looked back on his time playing the comic book role, and where he is now as an actor, saying, “I get less unnerved when I’m on the street. Back in the day on Riverdale, I would, if I was walking along the street and I’d see teenagers coming from school or something walking down the road, I would beeline for another direction just because I knew that it would be chaotic. So now it’s not quite like that anymore.” He elaborated on how “despite all of the conversations surrounding the show and what all of us went through independently in our own personal lives. That show has been the reason for so much of the opportunity that I’ve had in my life and I’m so grateful for it. I’ll never attempt to run from it.”
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Aguirre-Sacasa, who penned the Afterlife with Archie comic, landed the project on Disney+ back in July, with Greg Berlanti, who also executive produced Riverdale, attached to the series. While an exact premiere date has not been finalized, it will debut on the Disney-owned platform in 2027 for Halloween. The premise explores what happens to the little town when a zombie apocalypse comes to fruition, after Sabrina Spellman attempts to resurrect Jughead Jones’ dog, Hot Dog.
It has yet to be announced what line-up of characters will be in the Disney+ drama, but presumably, they are casting for roles like Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge, along with Archie and Jughead. Whether or not Sabrina, who was played by Kiernan Shipka in Aguirre-Sacasa’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix, as she also reprised her role on Riverdale, is involved remains to be seen, but given the teenage witch’s massive role in the original comic, it feels safe to assume that she will be part of the TV adaptation.
While it will be its own thing, rather than be related to The CW series, after Riverdale’s ending in 2023, it will be fasicnating to see if actors from the original series do end up having any cameos in Afterlife with Archie. As of writing, it has not been announced yet when production is set to start.
Afterlife with Archie debuts on Disney+ in 2027.
