RiverdaleTV Show | 2017
Parents need to know that Riverdale is a drama about a group of teens that's based on the classic Archie comics. The series has a much darker tone than the comics, with events revolving around the murder of a local teen boy, an illicit affair between a 15-year-old student and an adult teacher, and competitive friendships. A dead body with a distorted face is shown at length after a drowning, and various characters have secrets relating to the murder. Male and female characters are shown shirtless: females in bras, males nude from the waist up. Archie is frequently objectified and called things like "ginger stallion." A teen is shown having sex in the back of a car with a teacher, both shirtless and kissing (no private parts shown). Expect vulgar expressions for sex, but actual cursing is infrequent (and includes "ass" and "hell"). Characters call each other "bitch" more than once.
RiverdaleTV Show | 2017
Straining to escape the cheesiness of the old Archie comics, this series loads its storyline with new characters and complications, to the delight of many soap-loving teens. Not everyone will love the highfalutin language these kids use, but for others, it's just part of the show's campy charm: When Veronica introduces herself to Archie and Betty for the first time, she characterizes how she fits into Riverdale: "Are you familiar with the works of Truman Capote? Well, I'm Breakfast at Tiffany's, and this place is strictly In Cold Blood."
The series features an ensemble cast based on the characters of Archie Comics, with KJ Apa in the role of Archie Andrews, Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper, Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge, and Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones, the series' narrator. After a teenager was murdered within the town of Riverdale, this group of teenagers try to unravel the evils lurking within this seemingly innocent town. Riverdale debuted on January 26, 2017, to positive reviews. In February 2021, the series was renewed for a sixth season which premiered on November 16, 2021. In March 2022, the series was renewed for a seventh season, which is airing between March 29 and August 23, 2023, and will serve as the series' final season.
Warner Bros. began development on an Archie feature film in 2013, after a pitch from writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and director Jason Moore that would have placed Archie's gang into a teen comedy feature film in the John Hughes tradition.[26] The duo brought the project to Warner Bros., where a VP recommended a more high-concept direction involving time travel or interdimensional portals, suggesting Louis C. K. to portray an older Archie.[27] Dan Lin and Roy Lee became producers on the project, which eventually stalled as priorities shifted at the studio towards larger tentpole films, and was reimagined as a television series.[26] The series Riverdale was in development at Fox, with the network landing the project in 2014 with a script deal plus penalty.[28] However, Fox did not go forward with the project. In 2015, the show's development was moved to The CW,[29] which officially ordered a pilot on January 29, 2016.[30] On March 7, 2017, The CW announced that the series had been renewed for a second season.[31] On April 2, 2018, The CW renewed the series for a third season, which premiered October 10, 2018.[32][33] On January 31, 2019, The CW renewed the series for a fourth season, that was planned to consist of 22 episodes.[34][35][36] However, season four got shortened to 19 episodes instead because production was suspended on March 11, 2020, as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic.[37] Only 19 of the 22 ordered episodes of the fourth season were completed before the coronavirus pandemic.[38][39] The fourth season premiered on October 9, 2019.[40]
On February 9, 2016, Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse were cast as Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones, respectively.[52] On February 24, 2016, KJ Apa was cast as Archie Andrews after a four-month worldwide talent search. Apa was one of the last to audition and landed the role just days later. Also that day, Ashleigh Murray was cast as Josie McCoy, the lead singer for the popular band Josie and the Pussycats,[53] and Luke Perry and Madelaine Petsch were also added as Fred Andrews, Archie's father, and Cheryl Blossom, respectively.[54][55] Two days later, Camila Mendes was cast as Veronica Lodge marking her first acting role in a television show.[56]
In April 2017, Mark Consuelos signed on for the second season to play Veronica Lodge's father, Hiram Lodge.[61] The role was in second position to his existing role on Pitch, but the cancellation of that series was announced on May 1, 2017.[62] The next month, Charles Melton was cast to take over the role of Reggie from Ross Butler in season 2, due to his status as a series regular on 13 Reasons Why.[17] Casey Cott, who played Kevin Keller, was promoted to a series regular.[63] In July 2017, True Blood star Brit Morgan was cast in the recurring role of Penny Peabody, an attorney the Southside Serpents call in case of any run-ins with the law.[64] In August 2017, Graham Phillips had been cast to play Nick St. Clair, Veronica's ex-boyfriend from New York.[65][66]
On February 23, 2020, it was announced that both Ulrich and Nichols would be leaving the series.[73][74] However, in June 2020, Nichols revealed that after having a long talk with showrunner Sacasa, she would be staying on for season five.[75] In September 2020, it was announced that Erinn Westbrook would join the show as a new regular character named Tabitha Tate, the granddaughter of Pop Tate, who arrives in town to run her grandfather's malt shop and franchise from it.[76] In January 2021, Chris Mason was cast in a recurring role for the fifth season as Chad Gekko, Veronica's Wall Street husband.[77] In December 2021, Chris O'Shea joined the cast in a recurring role as Percival Pickens for the sixth season.[78] In May 2022, Caroline Day joined the cast in a recurring role as Heather for the sixth season.[79] On December 20, 2022, Nicholas Barasch and Karl Walcott were cast in recurring capacities for the seventh season.[80]
Filming of the pilot began on March 14, 2016, and ended on March 31 in Vancouver, British Columbia.[81][82] Production on the remaining 12 episodes of season one began on September 7, 2016, in Vancouver.[83] Sets include Pop Tate's Chock'lit Shoppe, a copy of the functioning diner used in the pilot that is so realistic a truck driver parked his 18-wheeler there, believing that it was open.[84] Season two was also filmed in Vancouver and the nearby Fraser Valley.[85] The aerial view of Riverdale is actually drawn from stock footage used in the series Pretty Little Liars and Gilmore Girls, and the landmark settings are the same used in both of the aforementioned series as well as in Hart of Dixie.[86] Filming for the second season started on June 22, 2017,[87] and concluded on March 27, 2018.[88] Filming for the third season started on July 6, 2018.[89]
Filming for the fourth season began on July 8, 2019, and was originally expected to end on April 4, 2020.[90] Production was suspended on March 11, 2020, as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic, after a person working on the show came in contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19.[37] Only 19 of the 22 ordered episodes of the fourth season were completed.[38][39] Series writer Brian E. Paterson later confirmed that they would shoot the remaining two episodes of season four when it was safe to do so.[91] The fourth season ultimately concluded with episode 19. The remaining three episodes intended for the season will be used for the start of the fifth season. The series will then feature a time jump after those episodes.[92] Despite a later premiere, season five is not expected to have a shortened episode count.[93]
Musical performances are featured throughout the series, a blend of cover versions and originals. Songs performed in episodes are released as digital singles after broadcast; WaterTower Music released a digital compilation for season 1 songs on May 12, 2017; season 2 on May 18, 2018; season 3 on May 17, 2019; season 4 on May 15, 2020; and season 5 on August 25, 2021.[104][105][106]
An album of Blake Neely's scoring for season 1 was released on compact disc by La-La Land Records, and simultaneously on download by WaterTower, on July 18, 2017.[107] The season 2 album with scores from Neely and Sherri Chung was released on compact disc by La-La Land on October 30, 2018[108] and on digital by WaterTower on November 16, 2018.[109] A Halloween episode score soundtrack was released on digital on October 31, 2019.[110] The scoring for seasons 3 and 4 were released on separate digital albums on January 22, 2021.[111]
Along with heavily promoting the television series in their regular comics since January 2017, Archie Comics releases a comic book adaptation of Riverdale, featuring auxiliary story arcs set within the television series' own continuity. The comic book adaptation is headed by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa himself, along with other writers from the show. Alongside a one-shot pilot issue, illustrated by Alitha Martinez, released in March 2017,[144] the first issue of the ongoing Riverdale comic book series was released starting April 2017.[145]
In addition to the adaptation, Archie Comics are releasing a series of compilation graphic novels branded under the title Road to Riverdale. This series features early issues from the New Riverdale reboot line, introducing the audience of the TV series to the regular ongoing comic series that inspired it. Archie Comics plans to re-print the volumes of Road to Riverdale in subsequent months as digest magazines. The first volume was released in March 2017.[145]
Several tie-in novels were also released in conjunction with the show, the first being The Day Before a prequel novel set a day before the events of the first episode. Get Out of Town is set between Seasons 2 and 3, and was followed by The Maple Murders, Death of a Cheerleader and The Poison Pen. The first four novels were written by Micol Ostow, with the fifth book penned by Caleb Roehrig. 041b061a72