Riverdale creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has unveiled fans' first look at the stars of Netflix's currently untitled Sabrina series, in-character as storied lovebirds Sabrina and Harvey. The original Sabrina and Harvey from the Sabrina the Teenage Witch series became pretty iconic over the years, so the new duo will have to make the characters their own. Based on the new photo, they may just be able to do so. Take a look!
In the picture, Sabrina (Kiernan Shipka) and her boyfriend Harvey (Ross Lynch) can be seen holding hands, while lovingly gazing into each other's eyes. Oh, young love! It can be filled with such promise. Given the show is set amidst supernatural threats, their road to happiness may be more troubled than this sweet picture suggests. In this glimpse at least, the couple's romance appears to be going quite well.
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's reveal via Twitter marks fans' first look at the promising new Netflix series. Hopefully its official title will not be far behind. A revival of sorts, this new take on Sabrina the Teenage Witch will have a darker tone than the 90's sitcom starring Melissa Joan Hart. The sitcom was popular, as it ran for seven seasons on ABC.
For its take, Netflix is set to adapt The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, a graphic novel with a darker, much more ominous tone. It is the same tone fans of The CW series Riverdale are familiar with on the brooding drama. The reason for that particular comparison is that the Sabrina and Archie characters exist in the same universe in the comics, although the two shows will not share a universe. The two TV series do share a behind-the-scenes tie. As mentioned earlier, Riverdale showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is also bringing the Sabrina series to life.
What do we know about the show so far? More than you might think. Before it even airs, Netflix has greenlit the series for two seasons. It's a telling sign of the streaming giant's investment in the project. Episodes of the Sabrina series will be an hour long, and ten episodes will comprise both seasons. That is the same episode order typical of Netflix series, which usually range from around ten to thirteen episodes per season. According to Netflix, the Sabrina series will be fashioned in the similar spirit of horror classics Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist. So prepare for this new take to really bring the scary. This is not the 90's version of Sabrina.
As for the cast, Mad Men actress Kiernan Shipka will star as the series' central heroine, Sabrina. Sabrina is half-witch, half-human, and just trying to get through high school. As you have probably guessed, that will be a tricky order to fill given that she must regularly fight the forces of evil. Why must life be so hard for teenagers on supernatural series? Meanwhile, actresses Miranda Otto and Lucy Davis will play her aunts, Zelda and Hilda, respectively. For those who need a quick refresher on the sisters and their roles in Sabrina's life: Zelda is the tough one, while Hilda is more carefree.
A premiere date for the first season of the as-yet-to-be-titled Sabrina series has not been announced yet. There is a belief it will premiere sometime this year. Only time will tell if that is true. The safest bet is to count on it premiering at some point in early to mid-2019, or maybe even a little later. To keep up with the series that definitely have a premiere date, check out our guide to TV's midseason and summer premieres.
