Funny or Die’s Adam McKay has teamed up with Archie Comics to transform the antics of this close group of high school students into a musical production. And given McKay’s specialty, including not only co-creating the hilarious Funny or Die website, but also writing and directing popular comedy flicks like Anchorman and Talladega Nights, we can expect it to be high caliber fun.
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Indeed, McKay says: “Archie represents a bygone era of America. And like all bygone eras, there are elements we miss and elements that should be bygone. This will be a musical that deals with both those realities in a bright, colorful and slightly demented way.”
Currently, McKay has been tapped to write the script for the musical, though he isn’t listed as a director. He is no stranger to directing Broadway plays, though: McKay previously directed You’re Welcome America, teaming up once with longtime collaborator Will Ferrell who played George W. Bush through its run. A songwriter or songwriting team is still being sourced for the new venture.
Jon Goldwater, who serves as CEO of Archie Comics, will oversee the project alongside the company’s Chief Creative Officer, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. The latter has previous experience adapting comic books to Broadway, having been involved in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.
In the comics, which are set in a town called Riverdale, there’s a constant love triangle brewing among Archie, Betty, and Veronica. Archie’s skinny sidekick Jughead, meanwhile, has a penchant for scarfing down anything in sight, and for wearing his signature “S”-emblazoned sweater and “whoopee cap.”
There’s no word yet on what direction and storyline the musical will take, but hopefully it won’t fall in line with the dark turn of the Life with Archie comics, which (spoiler alert) killed off the title character last year to conclude the series that focused on the now grown versions of the characters.
Timing for the New York Broadway run is to be announced.
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