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Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a supernatural horror drama on Netflix, based on the comic series of the same name created by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa in 2014. The series is centered around teenage witch and notable Archie Comics character, Sabrina Spellman. Despite the fact that the adaptation was initially planned to be developed on The CW, the series was eventually picked up by Netflix, which ordered a two-parts season of 10 episodes each. [1]

The first part was released on Netflix on October 26, 2018 [2] with a Christmas special released on December 14, 2018.[3] The second part with the remaining 9 episodes was released on Netflix on April 5, 2019.[4]

In December 2018, Netflix renewed the series for a second season consisting of 16 episodes. The first half of the season, or Part 3 was released on Netflix on January 24, 2020.[5] The fourth part was released on Netflix on December 31, 2020, concluding the second season.[6]

On July 8, 2020, the network announced that the series was cancelled and would not return for a fifth part.[6] According to Ross Lynch, who portrays Harvey Kinkle, the series "probably would have had 10 more episodes had COVID not happened."[7]

On July 10, 2020, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa announced that a new comic series will be serving as a continuation of the series.[8]

Premise[]

"The hourlong drama reimagines the story of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age tale that traffics in horror, the occult and witchcraft, naturally. The new iteration is described as in the vein of Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist and finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature as a half-witch, half-mortal while fighting the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit."[9]

Synopsis[]

Magic and mischief collide as half-human, half-witch Sabrina navigates between two worlds: mortal teen life and her family's legacy, the Church of Night.[10]

Cast[]

Main Cast[]

Crew[]

Writers[]

Directors[]

Producers[]

Character Descriptions[]

  • Sabrina Spellman: Female, Open ethnicity, legal 18 or 18+ to play 16. Sabrina is an empowered young woman, half-human, half-witch, struggling to reconcile her dual natures. She is just beginning her dark education as a sorceress, even as she tries to maintain some semblance of a normal life as a sophomore at Baxter High. Sabrina’s intelligent, compassionate, and brave to the point of recklessness. She challenges witch-doctrine at every turn. She is fiercely loyal to her family and friends; wickedly funny; and in the middle of a star-crossed romance with her classmate Harvey Kinkle. Sabrina is all that stands between us and the Forces of Darkness that threaten our world. SERIES LEAD.[11]
  • Hilda Spellman: Female, late 30s to early 40s, All Ethnicities. Hilda is the kinder of the Spellman sisters who are raising Sabrina, though her nurturing nature belies a more ruthless side. She is a healer, a potion-maker, sweet-as-pie until you cross her or anyone she loves. Operating the local funeral home, the sisters hide their witchery from the world while teaching Sabrina spells and incantations at home…ASP SERIES REGULAR[11]
  • Zelda Spellman: Female, late 30s to early 40s, All Ethnicities. Zelda is the harsher of the Spellman sisters who helped raise Sabrina, though her sternness and tough facade might be hiding a more…mothering soul. Unlike Hilda, Zelda claims that she has never known love—her devotion to the Dark Lord is all-consuming—which is why people looking for a love-potion go to Hilda; those looking to make a spite-jar go to Zelda…ASP SERIES REGULAR[11]
  • Ambrose Spellman: Male, early 20s, African American or East Indian, British. Ambrose is Sabrina’s “cousin” and a necromancer. He is witty, puckish, pan-sexual—and loves being a witch. Trapped in the funeral home due to a binding spell, Ambrose lives in the mortuary’s attic and acts as one of Sabrina’s partners in crime…10/13 SERIES REGULAR[11]
  • Harvey Kinkle: Male, Legal 18 or 18+ to play high school, All Ethnicities. Sabrina’s boyfriend, the Prince Charming of this dark fairy tale. Harvey is a young man in a small town starting to figure out his place in the larger world. He is politically minded, idiosyncratic, attractive, charismatic, and fun. Handsome and romantic, Harvey’s also smart, woke, and compassionate. In the present-day, he is part of Greendale’s counter-culture youth. He has no idea that he is descendant from a long line of witchhunters…ASP SERIES REGULAR[12]
  • Rosalind: Female, legal 18 or 18+ to play 16, African American. Rosalind is Sabrina’s human best friend. Brash, empowered, and outspoken like her Black Panther parents, Rosalind is keeping a secret from Sabrina and the rest of her classmates—that she is not-so-slowly losing her eyesight, a fact that will put her immortal soul in jeopardy…10/13 SERIES REGULAR[12]
  • Mary Wardwell AKA Madam Satan: Female, 30s, Diverse. A mousy teacher at Baxter High, Ms. Wardwell is a smart, quirky mentor to Sabrina. However, her persona quickly gets taken over by Madam Satan at the start of the pilot, and she becomes a sultry, cunning manipulator. Essentially the Devil’s Handmaiden, Wardwell’s “lessons” are designed to corrupt Sabrina per the Devil’s agenda…ASP SERIES REGULAR[12]

Development[]

The series is set to be a spin-off of the CW's Riverdale, a series based in the same universe, that centers around a group of teenagers (Archie Andrews, Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper, and Veronica Lodge) living in a town of the same name. On September 20, 2017, the network announced that the spin-off series is in development, with it being eyed as a companion series to Riverdale for the 2018-19 season.[9]

Despite initial reports that the series was undergoing development at the CW, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina received a 2-season order at Netflix. The streaming giant has granted the now-unnamed project a sizable two-season, 20-episode, straight-to-series order. It will consist of two, 10-episode seasons that will shoot back-to-back with the first batch filming from February to June and second from June to October. While the writers' room opened on December 4th, a premiere date has yet to be released. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa will act as executive producer alongside Riverdale collaborators Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Archie Comics CEO Jon Goldwater. Lee Toland Krieger will direct. The drama hails from Warner Bros. Television-based Berlanti Productions.[1]

While the Sabrina spinoff was originally developed at The CW, a co-venture between Warner Bros. and CBS, the network showed greater interest on another witchy drama in the pipeline: the "Charmed" reboot that is currently under redevelopment.

"The move to Netflix is widely considered a win within the halls of Warner Bros., as the platform switch — which was discussed first with The CW's board along with execs from both of its parent studios — allows Warners to retain 100% ownership of the series from WB-based producer Greg Berlanti. Had the Sabrina project remained at The CW, Warner Bros. would have had to share ownership — and, more importantly, profits — with corporate cousin CBS, as part of The CW's business model. (Riverdale is a co-production between the two.)"

Warner Bros. is seeking to gain full control of 100% of their shows, and that is said to drive a lot of their decision-making. Other Riverdale spinoffs could still land at The CW, as the Sabrina spinoff is merely one of many potential projects being eyed by Riverdale showrunner and Archie Comics chief creative officer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.[13]

Trivia[]

  • According to an early draft of the first episode the series was meant to take place in 1968.[14]
  • Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa said that "Chapter Eleven: A Midwinter's Tale" was not planned but Netflix wanted some sort of additional, standalone content to release between the first two parts. Having already done a Halloween-themed story, they opted for a Christmas special.[3]
  • The opening title sequence features the art of Robert Hack, the original artist of the comic series that the series is based on.[15]

External links[]

References[]

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