The CW's Arrowverse may love its superhero crossovers, but when it comes to Riverdale's yet-to-be-ordered spin-off, don't expect the Archie gang to leave their cozy booth at Pop's.
Riverdale's new spin-off pilot Katy Keene is currently in the works at The CW, with Ashleigh Murray's Josie joining Lucy Hale's titular character. While Murray will reportedly bid farewell to Riverdale should Katy Keene score a pilot pickup (which seems more likely by the day, especially given Pretty Little Liars alum Hale's casting), that does not mean that Riverdale and Katy Keene will crossover. Katy Keene is set years after the events of Riverdale, and takes place in New York City as opposed to the stateless town that is Archie and Jughead's home.
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However, it's not just geography to blame for why we may never see the Gargoyle King grace Josie's Manhattan home. According to executive producer Greg Berlanti at the INTV conference, per Deadline, Katy Keene is an entirely different breed of show from the pulpy, soapy Riverdale. The series will instead be about Katy, an aspiring fashion designer, and Josie, a pop star on the rise, as they reach for their big dreams in the Big Apple.
"I think it speaks to [creators Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa] and [Michael Grassi] and what they’re passionate about as it’s a story of young artists and storytellers," Berlanti explained at the INTV conference. "Roberto came from a show like Glee and there are elements of his life as a playwright, living in New York and all those young days that he really wants to capture."
Berlanti added:
"They’ll be soap elements, but I think they see it as the first family you make when you’re a young artist trying to make it in the big city...that’s what’s really exciting about it."
So, yeah: Don't expect any serial killer storylines or crazy cult scenarios on this series. If you want more of that, look no further than its other sister series, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.