Disney+ has officially ordered Afterlife With Archie, a new live-action horror series bringing zombies to Riverdale. The streamer is aiming to launch the show around Halloween 2027, although an exact release date has not yet been confirmed.
Based on the Archie Comics series written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and illustrated by Francesco Francavilla, the drama will transform the familiar all-American town into a zombie-filled apocalypse. When a supernatural spell from a certain teenage witch goes wrong, an army of the possessed dead descends on Riverdale, leaving Archie and his friends fighting to survive. The series will explore what happens to the friendships and romances at the centre of the Archie universe when the group is placed under a different kind of pressure.
Disney Kids & Family president Ayo Davis said the story has always been about more than zombies, with the humanity of the characters giving Riverdale something worth fighting for. No casting has been announced yet, meaning there is currently no word on who will play Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead or the rest of the gang.
Aguirre-Sacasa will write and executive produce through Muckle Man Productions. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Leigh London Redman will executive produce through Berlanti Productions, alongside Jon Goldwater for Archie Comics Studios and Jimmy Gibbons. Warner Bros. Television is producing the series, marking its first show for Disney+.
The project reunites several of the creatives behind Riverdale, which offered its own darker interpretation of the Archie characters across seven seasons. Aguirre-Sacasa and Berlanti Productions were also involved in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, another Archie Comics adaptation built around supernatural horror.
A television version of Afterlife With Archie was first reported to be in development at Disney+ in October 2025. The new announcement confirms that the project has now moved forward with a series order rather than remaining at the script stage. Aguirre-Sacasa described the adaptation as a “full-circle moment”, noting that the comic came before both Riverdale and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. He also issued a warning for Archie, Betty and Veronica: the zombies are coming.
For CultureCues, Archie plus zombies already sounds like the perfect Halloween watch. We are very curious to see how Disney+ handles the darker side of the series, particularly with the team behind Riverdale returning to the characters. There may not be any casting news yet, but the thought of Jughead trying to protect his burgers during a zombie apocalypse has already won us over.
Afterlife With Archie is expected to premiere on Disney+ around Halloween 2027.
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.