Among other credits, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have made The Lego Movie, brought 21 Jump Street to the big screen, and have been shepherding the animated Spider-Verse films through the long, difficult process of making their way out into the world – and now, they’ve set their sights on Archie. The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that a feature adaptation of the Archie comic books is in the works at Universal Pictures, with Lord and Miller producing.
Set in the fictional and idyllic Midwestern community of Riverdale, the Archie comics center on teenager Archie Andrews and his interactions with other characters like Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle, Josie and the Pussycats, and more.
Tom King, an award-winning comic book artist who was a key consultant on James Gunn’s Superman, is writing the script for the Archie movie. The upcoming Supergirl movie is based on King’s comic book Woman of Tomorrow, and he’s also an executive producer on the HBO / DC Lanterns series. Industry scooper Jeff Sneider of The InSneider reports that his sources say the film will be inspired, in part, by the comic book Archie: The Married Life, which presents Archie with two alternate futures — one in which he marries girl-next-door Betty Cooper, and one where he marries sexy heiress Veronica Lodge. That has not been confirmed.
Lord and Miller had this to say about the project: “We are longtime fans of Archie, Veronica, Betty and the gang in all of their iterations. When we heard Tom King’s take on the classic material, we instantly thought it made sense as an event movie for all audiences — both lifelong fans and a whole new generation. We’re so excited to bring these beloved characters to the big screen.“
Lord and Miller are producing the film alongside Emma Watts and Archie Comics CEO and publisher Jon Goldwater, while Universal Pictures’ Britt Hennemuth and Christine Sun will oversee the film project for the studio.
Are you interested in seeing an Archie movie – and if so, would you like it to be based on Archie: The Married Life? Let us know by leaving a comment below.