Archie has never been on the big screen before, but the team behind his next film is exactly what he needs

Universal Pictures recently announced that the beloved comic book character Archie Andrews will receive an adaptation of functionality produced by Lego film And Spider-man: in the spider Producers Chris Miller and Phil Lord. Archie and the Riverdale gang have been around for over 80 years, but it will be their first adventure on the big screen. It is a property that is loved but difficult to be right Because of his healthy tone, sometimes cheesy. But under the direction of his recently announced creative team, which includes the legend of comics Tom King As a screenwriter, the project could be something special.

Archie gangs of comics in Hollywood

Archie characters were introduced in 1941 and, during this period, were the subject of several series in progress and films made for television, more recently CW River. For decades, fans have watched Archie Pine for Betty and Veronica, Jughead Scarf Down Burgers, and Mr. Weatherbee rolls his eyes on the famous redhead. However, despite their popularity and longevity, Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica never appeared on the big screen; The closest was the classic cult of 2001 Josie and catsbased on Archie Comics property and its lively television adaptation, as well as Archies,, An Indian adaptation developed for Netflix in 2023.

Bringing Archie to the screen is a big problem – these are characters with decades of stories in a variety of genres, with several ripe scenarios for adaptation. The world of Archie’s comic strip competes with those of Marvel or DCWith whole stories that relaunch the series such as horror, fantasy, theater and science fiction, as well as a collection of characters that could be disturbed for new adventures.

Hiring Tom King As the screenwriter is proof that Universal is Deal seriously the property. King is a writer of Bands winning Eisner who worked on several of the most popular properties of DC, notably Green Lantern, Batman and Supergirl, with his mini-series Supergirl: woman of tomorrow serve as inspiration for the next James Gunn– Film produced in 2026. More than that, Gunn said that King will make an “integral part” of the new DC films universe, and he is an executive producer in the next Lanterns Series on HBO.

King is also a “Massive Fan Archie” self-written “ Last year, which wrote the archie comics “the decision”, in which Archie finally decides that he will return a piece to decide to date Betty or Veronica. The question, which ends with an anti-climax which does not solve one of the oldest love triangles of pop culture, is essentially an excuse to send Archie on a race through Riverdale after the emblematic characters of the series and present the long knowledge of King of Archie Arcana. It’s funny, soft and a little exalted from the eyes, which puts it online with the place where the series went before.

Hirring King is a sign that Universal wants to do good by Archie and his friends. By providing a respected name from the world of comics, they hire a writer who understands the characters and can prepare the field for an in progress cinematographic universe and possibly give the gang a long -term presence on the large screen.

Lord and Miller can honor IP while keeping it fresh

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

Archie has long been, but the property has also been mocked to be cheesy, especially when it focuses on the old -fashioned Americana. Although the central love triangle of the series is loved, it is a little played. But Getting away too far from the touches of the property would risk losing your “Archie-Nass”. Although an Archie story is malleable and can bend its reality – Archie got tangled both with the Punisher and the Predator – it is likely that this adaptation will not be interrupted with other major franchises and will be largely reduced to the bases. To play the too straight series, the risks by transforming into a tinging of the eyes.

This is why the presence of producers Phil Lord And Chris Miller is an equally promising creative backbone. The duo, including the adaptation of the science fiction novel Hail Mary project Will will arrive in theaters in 2026, has a long history of taking emblematic but risky properties and transforming them into success on the big screen. Their adaptation of 21 Jump Street Put a meta-turn to the beloved but dated television series and led to one of the funniest films of the decade. In Lego filmThey overturned the traditional hero’s journey to turn what could have been a gripped money in a funny and intelligent blow. Even with their first film, the animation hit Cloudy with a chance of meatballsThey kept the central intrigue of a beloved but light story of children and transformed it into an intelligent and funny game.

Lord and Miller know it so long As they honor what fans like to familiar characters, they can take them anywhere. THE Spider The films work so well because, regardless of the multi-life shenanigans they throw to viewers, the films remain focused on most of Spider-Man mythology. Lego film was bizarre and subversive, but he also remained focused on creativity behind the game and the feeling of joy that many children have with the constituent elements. Even 21 Jump Street knew that the duo could do whatever they wanted as long as they kept the premise of the copy cops under cover in a high school and threw a cameo Johnny Depp.

THE Archie comics have decades of stories to shootAnd endless instructions to take the characters. Lord and Miller should have no problem respecting Archie’s mythology and bringing their own irreverent sensitivity.

The cinematic universe Archie

There are still a lot of unknown things about what this film Archie will be. It could be a teenage comedy on the love triangle between Archie, Betty and Veronica, or a more exciting and fantastic film, closer to Riverdale. Maybe Lord, Miller and King will give him a brilliant satirical and make it the version of this generation of The film Brady Bunch. THE The possibilities for this property are endless. Made correctly, Universal could end up with a much necessary frankness on his hands.

Josie and cats

Release date

April 6, 2001

Execution time

98 minutes

Director

Harry Elfont, Deborah Kaplan

Writers

Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont, Richard Goldwater, Dan Decarlo, John L. Goldwater