Alfonso Gomez-Rejon to Raise the Dead with ‘Afterlife with Archie’ Disney+ Series

Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (The Town that Dread Sundown remake) is set to raise the dead, as he will direct the pilot of Afterlife with Archie for Disney+, reports Deadline. He’ll also direct the second episode and will serve as executive producer on the series.

Based on the comics created by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla, Afterlife with Archie will be an hour-long drama series and “turns the all-American town of Riverdale into a zombie-overrun apocalypse — where the only thing scarier than the undead is trying to survive your teenage years. When a supernatural spell from a certain teen witch backfires, unleashing an army of the possessed dead upon Riverdale, Archie and his friends must fight to stay alive, testing the friendships, romances, and loyalties that have always held them together.”

Gomez-Rejon is an interesting choice. The filmmaker has some background with horror, having directed The Town That Dreaded Sundown remake, as well as multiple American Horror Story episodes. He brings extensive television experience as well, having worked on Hunters, Glee, and others. The combination of those experiences should pair well with Disney’s zombie series.

Executive producers are Aguirre-Sacasa and Jimmy Gibbons via Muckle Man; Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman via Berlanti Productions; and Jon Goldwater via Archie Comics Studios.

Afterlife is not the first series adaptation of an Archie spinoff. Both Riverdale and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina have already had that honor, each with great success.

Afterlife with Archie is currently slotted to rise from the grave on Disney+ during Halloween 2027.