When is Chilling Adventures of Sabrina released on Netflix? Who’s in the cast, what's the plot – and will there be a Riverdale crossover?
Something wicked this way comes – find out more about the Sabrina the Teenage Witch reboot on Netflix
One of the year’s most hotly anticipated new series is also one of its weirdest: Netflix's new drama Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
A far cry from its predecessor – 90’s kids classic Sabrina the Teenage Witch – the reimagined adventures of half-witch, half-mortal Sabrina Spellman are set to be far creepier than ever before.
Predicted to be smash hit, Netflix has already confirmed two seasons of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina for viewers to sink their teeth into.
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But what’s the new show all about? Here’s everything you need to know…
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When is Chilling Adventures of Sabrina released on Netflix?
Netflix has announced that the release date for season one will be Friday 26th October – just in time for Halloween.
The ten-episode season will, as usual, be released all at once on Netflix.
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Is there a trailer?
UPDATE: a full trailer was finally revealed for the new series on 3rd October 2018. It presents the ultimate choice for young Sabrina on her 16th birthday: to become a witch, or remain mortal...
The show’s spookiest happenings had already been unveiled in a number of teasers before the full trailer.
A one-minute video posted on YouTube sees teenage witch Sabrina celebrating her 16th birthday, surrounded by dead-eyed looking children and a horned, demonic figure at the head of the table.
The teaser is then interspersed with shots from the first series, revealing a number of devilish characters set to take part.
Netflix has now also released a series of stills from the episodes to come – and the show looks decisively bleak.
Dimly-lit shots are peppered throughout, with teaser snaps showing creepy forests and disturbing rituals.
Who stars in the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina cast?
Taking the magic wand from Melissa Joan Hart, Kiernan Shipka has landed the title role.
The casting was confirmed on Twitter in January, with showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa – who also created the comic book series the show is based on – releasing a statement.
“We’re such huge fans of Kiernan’s work that when we started talking about who this new incarnation of Sabrina could be, her name was on everyone’s wish list,” he explained. “This is a darker, more macabre version of Sabrina, and we’re incredibly excited for people to see Kiernan make this iconic character her own.”
Some viewers may recognise 18-year-old Shipka from Mad Men, where she previously played Sally Draper.
Details of Sabrina’s character in the series were leaked in December 2017, telling us exactly what we can expect from Shipka in this role.
According to Netflix, the series will see "Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit."
Sabrina is reported to be “intelligent, brave, reckless and fiercely loyal” – but it remains to be seen how Shipka makes the character distinct from Joan Hart’s portrayal.
Alongside Sabrina, her ghoulish, 500-year-old aunts Hilda and Zelda are also returning, played by The Office star Lucy Davis and Homeland actress Miranda Otto.
In this Sabrina reboot, Aunt Hilda is described as warm-hearted and good natured with a wicked streak, while Aunt Zelda is far sterner. Claiming to “have never known love”, Zelda is fiercely devoted to the Dark Lord.
Meanwhile, Sabrina’s love interest Harvey Kinkle will be played by actor/singer Ross Lynch, who played a teenage Jeffrey Dahmer in biopic My Friend Dahmer.
Meanwhile, former Doctor Who star Michelle Gomez appears as Sabrina's evil teacher Mary Wardell.
Wise-cracking cat Salem, who was voiced by Nick Balkay in the show’s 1996 run, is also returning – but the voice actor is currently TBC.
Who will star in series 2?
Buffy star Alexis Denisof has joined the cast of series two as (spoiler alert!) Ms Wardwell’s boyfriend Adam Masters.
Also joining the cast as a recurring guest star is Jedidiah Goodacre (The Originals, The 100), who’ll play warlock Dorian Gray.
What’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina going to be all about?
As the teaser video shows, this version is going to be a whole lot darker than its sister show – with Netflix executives comparing Chilling Adventures of Sabrina to more classic, gory horror movies including Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist.
The Archie comic which the series based on shows Sabrina struggling to choose whether she should succumb to her sorcery and live life as a full witch, or pursue a mortal life with boyfriend Harvey. While she takes her time to decide, the evil Madam Satan returns from Hell to seek revenge on the Spellman family.
Speaking about the new series at LA Comic Con, Sabrina OG Melissa Joan Hart compares the show to Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
“[The original cast] is not involved,” she said. “The rights have reverted back to Archie Comics, and they’re doing it as the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which is a darker sort of twist. The new show sounds more about witchcraft and dark stuff.”
Will there be a Riverdale crossover?
With the executive producers of Riverdale, another show based on an Archie comic, also at the helm of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, we could potentially see characters’ worlds intercept.
Riverdale star Shannon Purser, who plays Ethel Muggs on the show, has previously hinted she would like to see Sabrina meet the Riverdale gang.
“I'm always interested in the supernatural and it would be so cool to have that element on the show,” she explained.
But showrunners have quickly put a hex on that notion, with Aguirre-Sacasa explaining, “I think right now we’re just making sure that the shows have their own identities and set of rules.”
However, Aguirre-Sacasa has also revealed he is working on a separate Riverdale spin-off – will we see characters collide?
