Riverdale Star Addresses Spin-Off Rumors

One of the stars of the soon-to-be-over Riverdale has spoken up about rumors of a spin-off about their character.

By Britta DeVore | Published

This article is more than 2 years old

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While we (and many 58-year-olds) are prematurely mourning the soon-to-be seventh and final season of The CW’s Riverdale, many fans are wondering what could be on the horizon. With so many (some may say too many) storylines and characters, the possibilities for a spinoff are endless. One major rumor out there is that the quirky and semi-psychotic Cheryl Blossom will be landing her own offshoot series once cameras stop rolling. 

During a recent sit-down with ComicBook.com, actress Madelaine Petsch, who plays the red-headed River Vixen on the series, addressed the rumors that she may be headed for a Riverdale spinoff. In her chat, the actress spoke of her adoration for not only the production but for the lessons learned alongside her character over the last several years. “We’ve grown up together,” Petsch says as she shares how sad she’ll be to say goodbye to the Thistlehouse owner adding that she “can’t imagine” bidding a final farewell to the character that launched her to stardom. But, don’t get too excited yet.

The star continues on by saying that while she’ll be sad to film that final scene, she’s ready to move on to different projects and characters, which sounds to us as though a spinoff isn’t – as of right now – in the works. “I have to love her and leave her,” Petsch explains as we hear the hearts of one million Riverdale fans breaking in unison. While it’s a bummer to hear that Petsch doesn’t plan to don the red lipstick, witchy look of Cheryl Blossom again (at least for now), it makes sense that after taking on a role for such a long time, she’s ready for a break – something the rest of the cast is sure to be feeling as well. 

The rumors surrounding a Cheryl Blossom-based Riverdale spinoff kicked into high gear after the character teamed up with Kiernan Shipka’s Sabrina. The femme fatale crossover gave viewers hope that both spellcasting characters would be seen in some facet together in the future. After a two-parter four-season run Shipka’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina was cut from Netflix’s slate due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the character’s reemergence in Riverdale, fans have been waiting for some sort of announcement that this isn’t the end for Sabrina – or Cheryl for that matter. 


Although it’s a huge bummer to have the rumors surrounding Petsch’s involvement in a Riverdale offshoot shot down, we can rest easy knowing the actress is already getting herself out there to take on other roles. Petsch will soon be seen in Jane, which hits select theaters this Friday with a follow-up streaming release exclusively on Creator+ beginning September 16. The film will see Petsch as Olivia, a high school senior grappling with the loss of a close friend. After being turned down by the university she’s always imagined herself going to, she begins to go into a mental haze that induces paranoia and extreme panic attacks. Making a snap decision, she goes on social media to air her grievances in the most extreme way possible. But with actions come consequences, something she’s about to discover the hard way.