After creating a whole TV universe of DC Comics characters for the CW in the Arrowverse, and giving new life to the Archie Comics characters on TV with Riverdale, Greg Berlanti is once again returning to the latter. In October 2025, we learned via Deadline that Disney+ was developing Afterlife with Archie, an hour-long drama series based on the best-selling Archie comic book series by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla. The series takes place in a version of Riverdale where Archie, Jughead, and the gang must deal with a zombie apocalypse. These same producers created Netflix’s hit version of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
Now, a recent report revealed that Afterlife with Archie has an official series order at Disney+ and will premiere Halloween 2027. Of course, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is quite excited to bring this world into a live-action format.
“This was the comic book that started it all. Before there was a Riverdale, before there was a Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, there was Afterlife with Archie, which I collaborated on with the best horror artist in the business, Francesco Francavilla,” Aguirre-Sacasa said. “Getting to turn Afterlife into a TV series for the amazing team at Disney+ with our incredible partners at Berlanti Productions, WB and, of course, Jon (Goldwater) and his Archie family is truly a full-circle moment — and the ultimate dream project for me. Time to say a prayer for Archie, Betty, Veronica and the whole gang, ‘cause THE ZOMBIES ARE COMING!!!!”
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa actually developed the original comic book series the show will be based on, which is fairly rare. Only ten issues of the comic were published, so chances are the show goes way beyond what the comics did. Riverdale was a big success for the CW, running for seven seasons. The show started out as a fairly normal “modern” reinvention of classic Archie characters. But by the end of its run, it went in many bizarre directions. But they never did zombies. Although Riverdale only ended in 2023, Afterlife with Archie will almost certainly feature new actors as Archie and friends.
This is the first comic-book-based property Disney+ is developing not based on a comic they own, like their Marvel series. Warner Bros. Television is developing this for Disney+, not HBO Max, which is also unusual. Sabrina Spellman also appeared in the Afterlife with Archie comics. So it’s possible we may get a new version of the iconic teenage witch as well.
There was an entire Archie horror line about a decade ago, including Vamperonica, which, as you probably guessed, featured Veronica as a vampire. Could we see that play out as well in Afterlife with Archie? We’ll have to wait and see when Afterlife with Archie arrives on Disney+ for Halloween 2027.
Originally published on October 1, 2025.