Why One Riverdale Star Doesn't Want To Crossover With Sabrina

Josie singing with The Pussycats

With the trend of nostalgia proving endlessly profitable, all that is old is new again. That's certainly the case with The CW's hit melodrama Riverdale. Based off the characters from Archie Comics, Riverdale is a semi-musical teen drama that has been praised for its twists, turns, and signature style. And another modern Archie Comics adaptation is coming from Netflix's upcoming Sabrina series. Early in its development, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina was going to be on The CW, and therefore open up the possibility of crossover events. But actress Ashleigh Murray, aka Josie McCoy, isn't keen on a potential crossover, saying:

I'm gonna say no. And I say no because Sabrina is a very different world. I don't know how, if they're going to play into her magical-ness, and if it's not just her that has that. Riverdale is so based in this type of reality, that I'm not sure that bringing the two together, if it's something that you could just walk away from. If it would just be a one-off thing, like it's fine and they're able to separate the two, I think it would be a lot.

It looks like Ashleigh Murray is worried what the inclusion of Sabrina and her magical world might have on Riverdale. While an over the top murder mystery,, Riverdale does seem to function in its own version of reality. As such, making things supernatural might seem out of place in the Town with Pep!

Ashleigh Murray's comments from her recent appearance on Popsugar's Scream Queens Panel may end up disappointing some of the Archie comics and Riverdale fans out there. There's an iconography and reverence for characters like Josie, Jughead, and the rest of the Riverdale starring cast. So the possibility of adding Sabrina and her magical aunts into the mix is a very exciting concept. Alas, it doesn't appear that it's happening anytime soon.

The likelihood of crossover between The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina seemed less likely when news of the show's pickup by Netflix became public. Netflix's Marvel shows and The CW's DC crossover events only function because the same network is working with all of the various teams. Netflix obviously operates on a far different schedule than a traditional network TV show, so the odds are stacked against a crossover in the near future.

Ashleigh Murray also seems most concerned with the narrative implications of a possible crossover. While Riverdale is far from gritty and realistic, the show does function in the "real world", independent of any supernatural elements. Sabrina and Salem hanging out at Pop's sounds fun. but once she starts battling with the magical underworld, it might not make sense for Archies' pals to function in the same world.

You can catch the first two seasons of Riverdale on Netflix. It's currently unclear when The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina will premiere on the streaming service, but CinemaBlend will keep you updated. Additionally, check out our summer premiere list to plan your next binge watch. Plus our Amazon premiere list and superhero premiere list to ensure you don't miss a single episode.

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.