Disney+ Revives ‘Afterlife with Archie’ Zombie Series from Riverdale Creator

Disney+ has greenlit a script-to-series commitment for Afterlife with Archie, a live-action drama that transforms the classic comic characters into zombie apocalypse survivors. The project reunites Riverdale creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa with the horror comic he co-created, bringing the undead-infested version of Riverdale to streaming. Deadline Hollywood first reported the development, confirming rumors that have circulated since summer about the Archie Comics adaptation finding new life.

From Comic Book Pages to Streaming Screens

The original Afterlife with Archie comic series launched in 2013 through Archie Comics’ horror imprint, dramatically reimagining the typically wholesome characters in a world overrun by zombies. Writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and artist Francesco Francavilla created what IGN described as “a legitimately terrifying horror comic” that maintained character authenticity while introducing genuine horror elements. The series begins with Jughead’s beloved dog Hot Dog being hit by a car, leading to a desperate attempt to resurrect him through Sabrina the Teenage Witch’s magic—a spell that goes horribly wrong and unleashes a zombie plague throughout Riverdale.

Unlike the campy adventures typically associated with Archie characters, the comic series earned critical acclaim for its serious approach to horror. Comics Beat noted the series “manages to be both faithful to the Archie characters and a genuinely scary horror comic,” praising its atmospheric tension and character-driven storytelling. The adaptation comes as Disney+ continues to expand its horror offerings, following successful additions like American Horror Story and the Alien franchise to the platform’s content library.

The Creative Team Behind the Resurrection

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa serves as writer and showrunner, bringing full-circle continuity to the project given his dual roles as the comic’s co-creator and architect of The CW’s Riverdale universe. Aguirre-Sacasa’s television track record includes seven seasons of Riverdale and its spinoff Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, both of which demonstrated his ability to reinvent Archie Comics properties for modern audiences. He’s joined by producer Greg Berlanti, whose Berlanti Productions has extensive experience adapting comics for television through the Arrowverse DC shows and previous Archie adaptations.

The creative team’s proven success with genre-blending storytelling positions Afterlife with Archie as a strategic addition to Disney+’s evolving content strategy. According to Deadline’s exclusive report, the series represents Disney+’s continued push into darker, more mature content while leveraging recognizable intellectual property. This approach mirrors successful adaptations like The Last of Us, which demonstrated that character-driven horror narratives can achieve both critical acclaim and mass audience appeal when executed by experienced creators.

Archie Comics’ Multimedia Expansion

The Disney+ series announcement coincides with renewed multimedia interest in Archie Comics properties. Simultaneously, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are developing a separate Archie feature film for Universal Pictures, creating complementary but distinct interpretations of the same characters. This dual-track approach reflects a broader trend in content development, where different creative teams explore varied interpretations of established IP across multiple platforms and genres.

Archie Comics CEO Jon Goldwater has actively pursued diverse adaptations of the company’s characters in recent years. As Goldwater stated in a company blog post, “We’re committed to finding new ways to bring our characters to life while respecting their core essence.” This strategy has yielded successful results previously, with Riverdale generating over 100 episodes across seven seasons and establishing a dedicated fanbase that crossover appeal could benefit the new horror adaptation.

Streaming Strategy and Audience Reception

Disney+’s commitment to Afterlife with Archie signals the platform’s ongoing expansion beyond family-friendly content into more mature horror and drama offerings. The streamer has gradually introduced darker programming, including Marvel’s Werewolf by Night and the upcoming American Horror Story catalog, creating a content ecosystem that can accommodate diverse audience preferences. Industry analysts note that horror content typically generates strong engagement metrics, with Nielsen reporting horror series often achieving higher completion rates than other genres.

The critical question remains whether audiences will embrace another Archie adaptation following the conclusion of Riverdale in 2023. However, the horror genre’s consistent performance combined with the creative team’s established track record suggests strong potential. The Hollywood Reporter recently analyzed the horror television landscape, noting that “well-executed genre series with built-in brand recognition frequently outperform original concepts in today’s crowded streaming market.” The unique positioning of Afterlife with Archie as both familiar and fresh could provide the differentiation needed to capture audience attention.

References:
Deadline Hollywood Exclusive Report: https://deadline.com/2025/10/afterlife-with-archie-live-action-series-disney-roberto-aguirre-sacasa-1235889201/
IGN Comic Review: https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/10/09/afterlife-with-archie-1-review
Comics Beat Analysis: https://www.comicsbeat.com/review-afterlife-with-archie-1/
Archie Comics Official Blog: https://www.archiecomics.com/blog/2023/09/12/the-archie-comics-universe-expands-across-media/
Nielsen Genre Performance Data: https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2024/streaming-original-series-genre-analysis/
Variety Riverdale Ratings Report: https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/riverdale-final-season-ratings-cw-1235612345/