A new ‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’ series is in the works

If you were a young girl in the ’90s, chances are you grew up loving “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” Now, fans of the sitcom classic can once again get their fix with “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.”

Like the original “Sabrina,” the new show will be based on a series of comic books. That’s where the similarities end, though. While “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” focused on all the hilarious hijinks that Sabrina, the spunky half-witch, half-mortal portrayed by Melissa Joan Hart, got herself into, “The Chilling Adventures” of Sabrina will have a decidedly darker and more sinister tone.

The new show is being developed by the CW and Warners Bros. Television. The network is hoping to capitalize on the recent success of another spooky show based on comic books, “Riverdale,” which is a dark take on the “Archie” comics, and sees Archie and his friends grappling with a murder mystery. The character of Sabrina Spellman is also from the “Archie” universe, and if greenlighted, “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” is meant to serve as a companion series to “Riverdale.”

The new series will have a tone similar to horror classics such as “Rosemary’s Baby” and the “The Exorcist.” So don’t expect any talking cats or super family-friendly plot lines. In addition to “Riverdale,” the CW has found success with other series in the horror genre, including “iZombie” and “Supernatural.”

The network has assembled a team that already has experience churning out popular shows for the CW. Greg Berlanti, who also produced other CW hits including “Riverdale,” “Arrow,” “The Flash” and “Supergirl,” will be the executive producer for “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.” Archie Comics Chief Creative Officer, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, will be a writer and executive producer, and frequent “Riverdale” director Lee Toland Krieger will also direct and executive produce.

The show has not yet been ordered to series, but would premiere in the 2018-2019 season.