The Archies is a 2023 Hindi/English-language teen musical film from India. Directed by Zoya Akhtar and produced by Akhtar's Tiger Baby Films for Netflix, it is loosely based on Archie Comics, but with the setting transplanted to 1960s India.
It follows the coming-of-age adventures of Archie Andrews, Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle, Dilton Doiley, and Ethel Muggs as they navigate friendship and romance. Meanwhile, their beloved Green Park is being threatened by development, and the teens band together to try and save it.
The film released on Netflix on 7 December 2023.
Tropes:
- The '60s: The film's 1960s setting is emphasized in the "Welcome to the World of the Archies" teaser, which lists the setting as 1964, proclaims it as the year of rock and roll, and shows many midcentury hallmarks like dances, diners, and rollerskates.
- Adaptational Location Change: Riverdale is traditionally portrayed as the quintessential Everytown, America. The trailers show that here, it's an urbanizing town in India, and the characters are all now Indian.
- Love Triangle: The trailer shows that Archie has been somewhat stringing both Betty and Veronica along. Jughead warns him that the girls are close and he's done for if they get to talking about him.
- Villainous Gentrification: Mr. Lodge's developments are threatening not only local businesses, but also a favored park of Riverdale youth.
