'Riverdale' Season 5 Returns Soon — Everything to Know before the Premiere

Fans of the CW teen drama series "Riverdale" can look forward to its 5th season chock-full of plot twists and surprises set to premiere in 2021.

Season 5 of "Riverdale" has been eagerly awaited by the series' fans, who were bitterly disappointed when Season 4 was cut short by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The series, which is loosely based on the universe of the classic Archie Comics, is now back, and the producers have rejuvenated the plotline, adding some interesting twists and a jump forward in time.

THE CLIFFHANGER

The sudden end of season 4 cheated fans of a satisfying conclusion and ended with episode 19 and a cliffhanger. Series developer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa revealed that season 5 begins with a conclusion of season 4.

The production team had originally attempted to put together a season finale with the footage they had already shot and had even filmed the long-awaited "Riverdale" prom.

Joining the permanent cast will be Drew Ray Tanner, who plays Fangs Fogarty.

THE DECISION

Aguirre-Sacasa felt that the show owed the fans more and that no cobbled together ending would do justice to the dramatic potential of the ending season 4 deserved.

He has revealed that the first two episodes of season 5 will draw together the plotlines of season 4 and offer a satisfactory conclusion to the ongoing dilemmas before launching in a new and exciting direction.

TRANSFORMATION

Actress Lili Reinhart revealed that the new season would start 7 years into the future, with Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Jughead Jones, Reggie Mantle, and the crew as adults.

Aguirre-Sacasa defined the change as a renewal of the show, giving the actors more scope and allowing the perpetual teens to grow up a little and face some new challenges.

THE CAST

On the whole, fans can expect the core cast to remain unchanged, with KJ Apa as Archie, Cole Sprouse as Jughead, Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper, and Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge.

Also joining the permanent cast will be Drew Ray Tanner, who plays Fangs Fogarty. Tanner has been a guest since season 2 and will now see his character upgraded.

GOODBYE

There will be some changes, which will mean saying goodbye to some favorites, namely Skeet Ulrich, who played Jughead's father, FP Jones, and Marisol Nichols, who played Veronica’s mother. Aguirre-Sacasa said:

"Part of life in Riverdale — and part of growing up — is saying goodbye to people. I'm grateful to Skeet and Marisol for their incredible work."

THE LOVE TRIANGLE

The love triangle between Archie, Betty, and Veronica, which is such an integral part of the beloved comics, finally came to the fore in Season 4, and we can expect it to heat up in season 5.

If the show follows the storyline of the original comics, Betty and Archie will soon be having a sizzling affair behind the backs of their faithful Jughead and Veronica, and adding even more drama to the show.

"KATY KEENE"

Another face who might not be showing up on "Riverdale" is actress Ashleigh Murray, who now stars in the spinoff "Katy Keene," which takes place 5 years after the original show's timeline.

The spinoff came out in 2020 and didn't garner the same attention or following as "Riverdale" and was canceled after its first season. It remains to be seen if Katy is gone for good.

THE BIG DAY

The filming of the new season has been underway since September 2020 under stringent safety measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the series will be airing its first episode on January 20, 2021.