Archie Andrews and his Riverdale friends are set to return to the big screen as Universal Pictures announced a high-budget live-action adaptation of the legendary 85-year-old Archie Comics series. Produced by the team behind Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the film will feature a screenplay by Tom King, known for Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, with Craig Gillespie directing. The movie is scheduled for release next summer.
Producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, alongside Emma Watts and Archie Comics CEO Jon Goldwater, stated that the film will offer a family-friendly take on characters like Archie, Veronica, and Betty. Unlike the dark and edgy tone of the popular TV series Riverdale, this adaptation promises a lighter, more inclusive story suitable for all ages. As longtime fans, Tom King’s vision immediately felt like a movie event for every generation, Lord and Miller added.
The announcement quickly caught the attention of Indian audiences, who fondly remembered Bollywood’s own version of Archie through Zoya Akhtar’s The Archies (2023), starring Agastya Nanda, Suhana Khan, and Khushi Kapoor. Set in a 1960s Anglo-Indian town, the film was released on an OTT platform rather than in theatres, yet drew notable comparisons to the original comic universe.
Why not release India’s Archies in cinemas instead? asked one social media user, while another commented, We already have our own Archie—no need for this. The news has sparked excitement and playful debate among fans, highlighting the timeless appeal of Archie and his friends across cultures and generations.
