TCA 2018: Netflix sets premiere date for ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’
“Sabrina the Teenage Witch” is coming back to your TV. But this time, she’s not fooling around.
Less than a week before Halloween, Netflix will premiere “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” its horror-tinged reimagining of the Archie Comics character. The streaming service announced an Oct. 26 launch date for the 10-episode first season Sunday during Netflix’s spell at the Television Critics Assn. press tour in Beverly Hills.
Unlike ABC’s bright and funny TGIF version of the character starring Melissa Joan Hart, “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” takes a cue from the recent neo-noir reboot of the original “Archie” comics “Riverdale,” a breakout hit for The CW. The series will feature Kiernan Shipka (“Mad Men”) in the role of the young blond mortal-witch as she attempts to navigate her abilities.
Fans of the original “Sabrina” will recognize some familiar elements and characters. Salem, the talking feline, aunts Hilda and Zelda, and boyfriend Harvey are all present. But the new “Sabrina” now borrows from classic horror films like “Rosemary’s Baby” and “The Exorcist.”
The new version is based on the comic of the same name from “Riverdale” showrunner and Archie Comics chief creative officer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, who will be an executive producer alongside “Riverdale” collaborators Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Archie Comics CEO Jon Goldwater and Lee Toland Krieger.
And note: the pre-Halloween debut leaves enough time for impressed viewers to change their costumes plans accordingly.
Twitter: @villarrealy
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