Netflix has released the trailer for its upcoming film The Archies, which is an Indian adaptation of the classic Archie comic adventures. The Archies is a musical set in the 1960s. “Seen through the lens of the unique Anglo-Indian community, The Archies explores friendship, freedom, love, heartbreak and rebellion.” The film looks like a more traditional take take on Archie, and it looks like a a good film that will be a lot of fun!
The movie is said to transport “the audience to the whimsical world of 1960s Riverdale, India. The trailer unfolds a musical narrative led by seven charming characters from the beloved Archie comics, steering through the retro alleys of love, friendship, and youthful aspirations.”
The movie was directed by Zoya Akhtar, who shared in a statement: “Having spent a lot of my childhood living in an Archie Comic, I’m thrilled to introduce Riverdale to this generation. The characters are iconic, their teenage life innocent, the world simpler, a time when less was more. Archie Comics, Netflix, Tiger Baby and Graphic India were in complete sync and wanted the adaptation to be as wholesome as the original comic was. It’s clean young adult content and was very fresh for Reema and me to work on. It’s also very exciting that a global IP chose the India film industry to make its first feature. Excited to get it out there.”
Monika Shergill, Vice president for Content at Netflix, went on to say: “The Archie comics, with their timeless charm and universal theme of friendship was a loved IP to adapt to the Indian cultural tapestry. We set out with the ambition to make a live action film with an Indian twist, and Zoya and Reema were the perfect choice to bring the story to life. They are incredible storytellers and have made a film full of colour and heart, fantastic characters and toe-tapping songs. The Archies is truly a family entertainer with a touch of delicious nostalgia.”
Archie Comics CEO/Publisher Jon Goldwater said: “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. 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.”
The Archies stars Dot as Ethel Muggs, Agastya Nanda as Archie Andrews, Khushi Kapoor will take on the role of Betty Cooper, Mihir Ahuja as the always hungry Jughead Jones, Suhana Khan plays Veronica Lodge, Vedang Raina will play Reggie Mantle, and Yuvraj Menda will play Dilton Doiley.
The Archies will arrive on Netflix on December 7.