Don’t expect Netflix’s Sabrina series to crossover with Riverdale right away

Will Sabrina crossover with Riverdale? Don’t hold your breath!

The team behind the upcoming series based on the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina comic book are assuring fans that development is well underway. Despite the original plans to debut as a companion series to the CW’s Riverdale, the series recently announced a move to Netflix. Since the  development update, we have learned that the streaming service gave a two season order and Kiernan Shipka has been cast as the titular character, Sabrina Spellman.

So what does the network move mean in terms of the often rumored crossover with Riverdale?

Will there be a Sabrina/Riverdale crossover?

Before Riverdale premiered in 2017, there were whispers of an appearance by the beloved teenage witch. Sabrina Spellman is another well-known character in the world of Archie Comics so a cameo seemed inevitable. The showrunner for Riverdale, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, has many ties to Sabrina. Not only is he the current Chief Creative Officer for Archie Comics but he also writes the Archie Horror comic book, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Aguirre-Sacasa announced his plans to develop a series based on his Sabrina comic, just not on the CW.

The move to Netflix certainly makes sense for a narrative standpoint. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a much darker tone than most of its Archie counterparts. This is not your Melissa Joan Hart version of Sabrina. The bloody and graphic material from the comic might not transfer appropriately onto a network like the CW. Even though Riverdale has been pretty grim in tone as of late, the Sabrina comic takes darkness to a new level. Being on Netflix gives the creative team more freedom to explore the darker side of Archie Horror. With characters like Madam Satan and a murderous witch council, it’s best to portray the story as originally written without network restriction.

Aguirre-Sacasa and the team behind Riverdale will still serve as the creative minds behind the Sabrina series for Netflix. Unfortunately, they may have dashed the hopes of fans for news regarding any kind of Riverdale crossover in the near future. CW boss Mark Pedowitz recently spoke on Archie Digest: A Riverdale Podcast and reiterated a statement regarding a Sabrina/Riverdale crossover. Pedowitz shared that there are no current plans to crossover the two shows. Netflix is focused on getting the untitled Sabrina series off its feet before considering any kind of crossover.

There is still hope for a future crossover

The news certainly doesn’t mean all hope is lost. The fact that Riverdale ratings received such a jump in season two was credited to the first season being added to Netflix over the summer. Netflix and the CW seem to have a great relationship. There is no doubt that there might be collaboration talks at some point. The fact that Netflix gave the series an initial two season order from the get-go shows the confidence in series. Once the series finds its own footing, we can assume they will explore new paths for Sabrina to take. Especially ones that involve Archie, Jughead, Betty, and Veronica.

Fans of Riverdale will already be familiar with Sabrina’s hometown of Greendale, which is only a town over. Greendale has been used as a reference to Jason Blossom, Ms. Grundy, and the Southside Serpents. Although the comic book for Sabrina is set in the 1960s, we can assume they will make a more modern take on the story. Sabrina has already come in contact with multiple characters in the comics. Not only does Sabrina help out Jughead with her supernatural abilities but she she enlists the help of other teenage witches. In this case, Betty and Veronica. Now that doesn’t mean that Riverdale characters will magically become witches. But it would still be fun to see the group get swept up into the mysterious world of Sabrina.

Netflix’s Sabrina series will premiere later this year!