Zoya Akhtar has joined Netflix and to adapt Archie Comics into a live-action musical adaptation set in the 1960s. The Indian Adaptation of the iconic comics will be produced by Tiger Baby and Graphic India.
The project has been announced on the official social media handles of Netflix India. Earlier, it was reported that Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana Khan, Sridevi, and Boney Kapoor’s younger daughter Khushi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda will make their debut with the film. Ibrahim Ali Khan’s name was also linked to it.
“Get your milkshakes ready because Archie and the gang are about to get down and desi in ‘The Archies’. A coming-of-age musical drama directed by @zoieakhtar. Coming soon to Netflix! #TheArchiesOnNetflix,” the post read.
Netflix and Archie Comics have collaborated on a coming-of-age drama that will expose the Riverdale teen characters to a new generation in India.
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.”
Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, and Jughead Jones are four companions who navigate teenagers in Archie Comics. While Archie is involved in a love triangle with Betty and Veronica, Jughead is well-known for his passion for food.
