Kiernan Shipka is the new Sabrina Spellman.
Netflix has announced that the actress who previously appeared in FX's Feud: Bette and Joan and AMC's Mad Men has been cast to lead the untitled live-action adaptation of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
The Teenage Witch
Not much is known about the project, but the description reveals that the upcoming television series will retell the origin story of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a coming-of-age story but with horror and, of course, witchcraft. The 18-year-old Shipka will play the titular role of Sabrina, a half-mortal and half-witch teen who tries to juggle her education as a sorceress while maintaining a normal human life at Baxter High.
"We're all such huge fans of Kiernan's work that when we started talking about who this new incarnation of Sabrina could be, her name was on everyone's wish list," shares executive producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. "This is a darker, more macabre version of Sabrina, and we're incredibly excited for people to see Kiernan make this iconic character her own."
"I am thrilled that Kiernan is playing Sabrina and have no doubt that she will embody the strength, courage, and boldness that has made the character a fan favorite," adds Archie Comics CEO Jon Goldwater.
Sabrina is described as an empowered young woman, intelligent and compassionate, and brave to the point of recklessness. She is the only one standing against the evil forces that threaten to destroy the world she and the humans inhabit.
Riverdale Connection
The television series was initially being developed on The CW as a companion to the hit teen drama, Riverdale. Both adaptations are based on characters from Archie Comics.
Rumor has it that Sabrina could make a cameo appearance in the second season of Riverdale. After all, the dark soap has already introduced Greendale, the witch's hometown, when Jason Blossom (Trevor Stines) crossed the river before his untimely death. (The scene also led many to believe that The CW might be considering an adaptation of Sacasa's other comics, Afterlife with Archie.)
The upcoming Sabrina series from Netflix also comes from the same team that created Riverdale. Sacasa will pen the script of the pilot episode while Lee Toland Krieger will direct. Sacasa, Krieger, Goldwater, Greg Berlanti, and Sarah Schechter will sit as executive producers. The series will be developed by Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. TV.
The biggest streaming service in the world has already ordered two seasons of the untitled supernatural teen series. No premiere date has been announced as of this writing.
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