‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’ Gets a Dark Coming-of-Age Horror Series From the Creators of ‘Riverdale’

Following the success of the deliciously dark “Archie” adaptation, “Riverdale,” the CW will continue its collaboration with Archie Comics to deliver “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” a horror-flecked coming-of-age tale for the teenage witch. The new series will be led by powerhouse TV producer Greg Berlanti (“The Flash,” “Dawson’s Creek”) and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasta, Chief Creative Officer of Archie Comics.

Per the official synopsis: “‘The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ reimagines the origin and adventures of ‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch‘ as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and, of course, witchcraft. Tonally in the vein of ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ and ‘The Exorcist,’ this adaptation finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit.”

That sounds like a dramatic shift from her earlier adaptation, “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” a half-hour comedy that ran on ABC from 1996-2003. That series hewed closer to the past CW shows, starring Melissa Joan Hart as a teenaged Sabrina navigating superpowers while also trying to survive high school. If “Riverdale” is any indication, the new series will be very different.

The one-hour drama will be produced by Berlanti Productions in association Warner Bros. Television.