The world of Riverdale is branching out beyond the title city’s borders, and has just cast a new It Girl to lead the charge.
Entertainment Weekly reports that Lucy Hale—best known for Pretty Little Liars — will play Katy in the ordered pilot for the Katy Keene series, being created by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Michael Grassi.
Katy Keene has been a part of Archie history since the ‘40s as a model and actress, but her musical dramedy series will imagine her as a wannabe fashion designer, as she balances her love life and career aspirations. Aguirre-Sacasa celebrated the news with a cute little homage to the cover of Katy Keene #5 depicting Katy on the phone surrounded by pictures of her many admirers.
It’s official! @lucyhale joins the #Archieverse as fashion it girl #katykeene! Thrilled to be working with this lovely lady! ❤️???????????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/lnAZAr1S78
— RobertoAguirreSacasa (@WriterRAS) March 11, 2019
Although it takes place in the same universe as Riverdale, Katy Keene won’t actually be set in the cult-laden, drug-war-embroiled town we’re used to seeing on the bonkers CW show. Instead, it’ll be New York City, as Katy and a few of her Archie Comics friends — one of whom is actually Riverdale star Ashley Murray, returning as Josie McCoy of Josie and the Pussycats — move there in the hopes of realising their dreams and making it big in the Big Apple. It’ll also be set several years after the current events taking place in Riverdale, so don’t expect Jughead or Veronica to be popping up out of nowhere.
We’ll bring you more on the CW’s plans for Katy and her pals as we learn them.