Film will be a “coming-of-age, live action musical set in 1960s India.”

While the Archie Comics gang is currently being adapted for the CW series Riverdale, Indian director Zoya Akhtar is working on a project that features the gang in the 1960s.

As reported by Variety, Archie Andrews and his friends are set for an Indian film version on Netflix—and the film will be a “coming-of-age, live action musical set in 1960s India based on the teenagers of Riverdale.”

According to one Indian writer, Archie comics are hugely popular on the Indian continent.

Akhtar said in the press release, “I am super excited to have the chance to bring ‘The Archies’ to life. It was a large part of my childhood and teenage years. The characters are iconic and globally loved, which is also why I am a little nervous. I have to make sure the film stokes the nostalgia of a generation that grew up on the comic and yet resonates with the young adults today.”

Whether the announcement is referring to adapting Archie Comics in general or The Archies pop group specifically, the brand has proven adept at fitting in with all sorts of cultures and crossovers. Examples range from the Twin Peaks-inspired CW series to Sabrina’s time with Filmation's the Groovy Ghoulies, to comic book crossovers with the Punisher, Batman, Sonic, Harley Quinn, The Teenage Mutant Turtles, the band Kiss, and fellow 1960s pop group The Monkees. (Among others.)

Zoya Akhtar is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works in Hindi cinema. Her films include Luck by Chance (2009), Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), Dil Dhadakne Do (2015), and Gully Boy (2019). She also directed a segment of Ghost Stories (2020), a horror anthology film for Netflix.

Dating back to the 1940s, Archie Comics characters include teenagers Archie Andrews, Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle, Sabrina Spellman, Josie and the Pussycats and Katy Keene. Filmation's 1968 cartoon series The Archie Show featured the band The Archies, whose music was recorded by session musicians—including the Top 40 hit “Sugar, Sugar.”

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Original press release

Netflix and Archie Comics partner for the live-action musical film, THE ARCHIES, to be directed by Zoya Akhtar

Archie Andrews and his friends travel across continents to have a rebirth in India!

Netflix, in collaboration with Archie Comics, brings a coming-of-age story that will introduce the teenagers of Riverdale to a new generation in India.

The Archies, a feature film adaptation of the comics will be produced by Tiger Baby and Graphic India and will premiere exclusively on Netflix. A live action musical set in 1960’s India, the film will be directed by Zoya Akhtar.

Talking about this collaboration, director Zoya Akhtar said, “I am super excited to have the chance to bring The Archies to life. It was a large part of my childhood and teenage years. The characters are iconic and globally loved, which is also why I am a little nervous. I have to make sure the film stokes the nostalgia of a generation that grew up on the comic and yet resonates with the young adults today.”

“It’s a huge source of pride that the Archie Comics characters and stories resonate with fans globally, and especially in India, for more than 50 years,” said Archie Comics CEO/Publisher Jon Goldwater. “We are thrilled to partner with Netflix and trust Zoya Akhtar and her creative team to deliver a truly unique and exciting take on Archie and friends through the lens of Indian cinema. We know that these characters have global appeal and translating them into other settings and cultures is just the start of what we have planned for future multimedia adaptations.”

Pratiksha Rao, Director, Films and Licensing, Netflix India, added, “The characters, adventures and friendships in Archies have found fans across the world for generations. With Archie Comics, Graphic India and Tiger Baby, we have an extraordinary opportunity to recreate the world of Archie comics, this time as a live action musical. Zoya has an incredible and unique ability to make stories and the characters in them relatable, making them feel like they are an extension of our own self. We are thrilled to partner with her in bringing to life the world of Archies to fans and our members in India and around the world.”

Producers:

• Tiger Baby/Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti

• Graphic India/Sharad Devarajan

• Archie Comics

Director: Zoya Akhtar