Will there be a Riverdale season 8? Spin-offs, Sequels & More

After a glorious run of 7 years, Riverdale has finally come to an end. The series finale aired on Netflix this week as fans bid Archie and his friends goodbye.

As early as March 2022, it was announced that Riverdale season 7 would be its final season. So, it is confirmed that Riverdale will not be returning for season 8.

However, the finale is never the ultimate ending for a show as popular as Riverdale. The universe can always continue one way or the other through sequels, spin-offs, or other adaptations.

If you are going through a phase of PFSB (Post Finale Stress Blues) after watching the Riverdale finale, we’re here to help you out. In this article, I’ll cover everything you need to know about going back to Riverdale – via sequels, spin-offs or another season!

1. Will there be Riverdale season 8?

As of now, it is confirmed that Riverdale will not be returning for season 8. The CW has confirmed that season 7 is the final season of the popular teen drama.

However, fans have been speculating about a potential season 8, irrespective of the news of the series coming to an end. I am assuming they still have some hope about the makers changing their minds and bringing the cast back for one more season!

The Head of The CW, Mark Pedowitz, denied all rumors about another season of Riverdale. He said-

“I am a big believer of giving series that have had a long run an appropriate send-off. We had a long conversation with Roberto [Aguirre-Sacasa] yesterday, and he is thrilled with the decision. We are going to treat the show in the manner it deserves. It’s been an iconic pop culture star, and we want to make sure that it goes out the right way.”

In other words, renewing the series for another season would ruin its legacy. The series has already been criticized for its bizarre plot twists, such as sudden time jumps of tracks to portray the series as a crime drama. The constant mix-and-match with the romantic pairings in the series has also met with negativity.

Nevertheless, Riverdale remains one of the most popular teen dramas on The CW. The finale gave a satisfactory ending to all its characters, so fans shouldn’t be unhappy with the outcome either.

2. Will there be a Riverdale spin-off?

As of writing this article, only one Riverdale spin-off is in development. However, there may be several Riverdale spin-offs in the future as there’s ample scope for it. 

Riverdale is set to get a spin-off series that will be based on a new character from the Archie comics, Jake Chang. Jake Chang is a 16-year-old private investigator. As per Deadline, the series will be an Asian-American led teen crime drama series.

Chang’s story will explore the contrast and conflict between his diverse and gentrifying Chinatown neighborhood and his elite private school. The show is set to combine teen drama and neo-noir elements and challenge the stereotypes of Asian representation.

However, the show is not directly connected to Riverdale. It is not set in Riverdale and is not likely to feature the same cast. However, it will be produced by Oanh Ly and Viet Nguyen, who are also the writers. The duo was also behind Riverdale’s sister series, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Nguyen will serve as the director. The show is also backed by Daniel Dae Kim’s production company 3AD.

The show based on Jake Chang is only being treated as a Riverdale spin-off as the character appears in the Archie comics, which serve as the source material for Riverdale. Jake Chang first appeared in the Archie comics on July 27 in ‘The Mystery of the Missing Mermaid.’

While the series was announced as early as June 2022, there is no further news on its development. Considering the writer and actor strikes, the show’s development might be at a standstill now.

As of May 18, 2023, Jake Chang is being developed as a standalone series and is not under development at The CW. It is yet to be seen whether any other production house will take up the series or not.

3. About Riverdale