Posted in: CW, Freeform, Riverdale, streaming, TV | Tagged: archieverse, bleeding cool, cable, freeform, greg berlanti, Pretty Little Liars, riverdale, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, streaming, television, tv

Riverdale Creator Lands Pretty Little Liars, New Archie-verse Project?

Published Wed, 02 Sep 2020 16:32:21 -0500

by Ray Flook

Last updated Wed, 02 Sep 2020 16:34:05 -0500

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After a rough spell earlier this summer that saw The CW and Netflix put an end to Katy Keene and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, respectively, and ABC pass on his Dracula take The Brides, things appear to be on the upswing for Riverdale showrunner/EP Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Aguirre-Sacasa will tackle a whole new take on ABC Family/Freeform hit series Pretty Little Liars via his deal with Warner Bros. TV, and is expected to pen the script. While no network is attached, sources say that WarnerMedia's HBO Max is being eyed as the series' eventual home (WBTV declined to comment to THR). Leslie Morgenstein and Gina Girolamo from Alloy Entertainment (series rights holder) will executive produce the project alongside Aguirre-Sacasa, though it's still not known what role (if any) original series creator I. Marlene King will have (King departed Warners for Disney's 20th TV in 2019).

riverdale — A look at Pretty Little Liars' first season (Image: Freeform)

But what really caught our attention came towards the end of the article, where THR reports about the dynamic between Aguirre-Sacasa and frequent producing partner Greg Berlanti. Here's the line: "Still, sources say, Aguirre-Sacasa is prepping another project set in the Archie-verse and the duo continue to collaborate on Riverdale, which returns for its fifth season in 2021 on The CW." Another "Archie-verse" project? Could we be getting a "Josie and the Pussycats" (Josie McCoy, Valerie Brown, and Melody Valentine) series? Dare we dream, an Afterlife with Archie series? Is there something or someone we're forgetting?

Running for seven seasons from 2010-2016, the YA mystery thriller went from national to international sensation. Over the course of its run, the series would be adapted in a number of countries and help launch the careers of cast members Lucy Hale, Tyler Blackburn, Shay Mitchell, Tyler Blackburn, and more. Interestingly enough, as popular as the main series was, it was never able to launch successful spinoffs. Both Pretty Little Liars: Ravenswood (2014) and Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists (2019) were attempted by Freeform (previously ABC Family), and both lasted for only a single season.

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