The Archies aspires to transmit the innocence, naivety and friendship of the iconic Archie comic into two-hour long narrative for today’s young generation, said the six times Filmfare award winner Director Zoya Akhtar at an ‘In Conversation’ session on ‘The Archies – Made in India’ at 54th IFFI, in Goa.
Talking about the challenges of adapting a comic story into a film, Zoya Akhtar explained that catching the essence and nuances of the Archie comic, considering its huge success, and making it into a great cinematic experience for the audience was very challenging. “It was a large part of my childhood. The characters are iconic and globally loved, and bringing a film that fuels the nostalgia of a generation that grew up on the comic and yet resonates with the young adults of today, gives a whole new experience in scriptwriting’’, she added.
Jon Goldwater, CEO, Archie Comic, said, “it’s a huge source of pride that the Archie Comics’ characters and stories resonate with fans globally, and especially in India, for more than 50 years. The filmmakers kept the integrity and authenticity of each fictional characters intact throughout the film. The Archie team in New York are very much proud of the film’’.
Ruchikaa Kapoor Sheikh, Director of Content, Netflix India said “this is a big moment for Netflix India where we get a global franchise by doing first ever feature film in the history of Archie comics. It is a cultural film coming out of India which will also connect to the global audience’.
The Archies is an Indian adaptation of the iconic comic series ‘The Archies;’ it is set in the fictional hilly town of Riverdale, in the 1960’s India where a group of teenagers wrestle with love, heartache, friendship and rebellion. The musical film is scheduled to be released on Netflix on December 7, 2023.
