'Riverdale' Season 4: Here's Everything We Know So Far

Photo credit: Robert Falconer - The CW
Photo credit: Robert Falconer - The CW

From Seventeen

WARNING: Riverdale spoilers ahead!

Riverdale season four has been a thrilling ride so far. There are new villains, new mysteries, and just as much heat and romance as always. So, what can we expect for the remainder of season four? And how will the Core Four finish off their senior year? Here's everything we know about Riverdaleseason 4...

Has Riverdale been renewed for a fifth season?

Even though season 4 is not even halfway over, Riverdale has already been renewed for season five! According to TVLine, the CW has renewed their entire slate of shows, including Nancy Drew and Legacies.

So, what does this mean for the residents of Riverdale? It's unclear. The Core Four are all seniors right now, meaning they are expected to go off to college next year, but there are many events that could take place to keep them all in one place. Archie already doesn't want to head to college, and Jughead may get wrapped up writing his Baxter Brothers novel and opt not to attend either.

Camila Mendes, however, has an even more dramatic idea to keep some characters in town: a pregnancy! I mean, with the amount of sex these teens are having, it's not impossible.

Whatever it is, I have no doubt that the writers will find a way continue the story, whether the characters are in the same town or spread across the county. No matter what, though, we are getting at least one more season of drama, Choni, and a whole lot of suspense.

What did the cast reveal at New York Comic Con?

We got to sit down with some of the Riverdale cast members at New York Comic Con 2019 and ask them some of our biggest questions about what we can expect in season 4.

Alice and Betty will be getting revenge on the Farm:

Alice might be currently missing from Riverdale, but as the scene from the recent trailer revealed, we'll be seeing her real soon. Mädchen revealed to Seventeen that Alice will be getting some revenge on the Farm in episode 3 and it's everything she's wanted.

"[Series creator] Roberto [Agurrie-Sacasa] is so good at simmering something for so long and finally giving you the redemption [story]," she told Seventeen at New York Comic Con. "Cause I told him, 'you have to make sure that she gets back at the farm.' And he was like, 'oh yeah, you're gonna get back at the Farm.'"

Veronica's sister is coming to town and things aren't looking good for the Lodges:

Veronica has an older sister and she'll be spreading some trouble when she arrives in Riverdale in episode 5.

"I think at one point Veronica says something like, 'she's just like daddy, but a woman, so she's more dangerous,'" series creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa told Seventeen.

The Lodges will also be going on trial and Mary Andrews will be representing Hermione during the trial.

Two special episodes are coming:

Aguirre-Sacasa confirmed at the Riverdale panel that there will be a Halloween episode, with Cheryl dressing up as Poison Ivy and Toni dressing up as Harley Quinn. He also noted that there will be "a pretty strong mention of Katy Keene" during the episode, likely hinting of a possible crossover soon. There will also be a musical episode, likely also going to be another musical put on by the students of Riverdale High, but production on that hasn't begun just yet.

FP is going to feel empty without Jughead:

Jughead won't be in Riverdale as much as before thanks to his new scholarship to a private school and FP will be totally feeling that loss in season 4.

"It changes instantly. It's akin to a child going away to college. I miss Cole. I mean, we still have work together, which is great. But it's not as much as it had been in the past. So he's just not around as much," Skeet Ulrich told Seventeen at New York Comic Con. "I think there is a bit of empty nest even though that wasn't necessarily [full]. I think you find what you really want when it's taken away. I think that's what FP is dealing with is a little bit of that bittersweetness."

Kevin will be facing some consequences from The Farm:

As the person who was left behind, Kevin will have a lot to apologize for when the show returns.

"In a weird way, the second episode is technically our season premiere because the first one is a stand alone," Agurrie-Sacasa told Seventeen. "The big story between Betty and Kevin and if they're going to be friends after all the stuff Kevin did at the Farm, like drag Betty by her ankles and stuff like that. There are definitely consequences to that."

Is Choni going to remain strong?

As we wait for the season four premiere next month, one thing on everyone's mind is: what is going to happen to Choni? Unfortunately, it may not be smooth sailing for everyone's favorite couple. Even after a rough season three, it sounds like Cheryl's personal issue are going to get in the way of her relationship with Toni.

"There may be some trouble in the waters," Madelaine Petsch, who plays Cheryl, told Cosmo. "I mean, Cheryl’s keeping her brother’s dead body in her basement, which is, like, a fairly large secret. If and when Toni finds that out, it might cause some difficulty."

Yeah that's...unsurprising to say the least. Don't worry, though, because there will still be some great Choni moment in the season, like an amazing couples costume in the Halloween episode. "But, like, their version of a couples costume," Madelaine insists. Ooh, what could that mean?! Two cat burglars? Literal vials of pretty poison? The options are endless!

Are there any pics from the season yet?

There is! With a little over a month until the premiere of Riverdale season 4, The CW has finally released a few pictures from the first season. The images are from the first episode, "In Memoriam," which will stand as a tribute to the late Luke Perry. In one of the pics, we see Archie hugging his mother, most likely in the wake of Fred's death.

Photo credit: Robert Falconer
Photo credit: Robert Falconer

We also see two of our favorite couples snuggling up together as they watch something up above. It's unclear what exactly is going on here, but it seems like this might be Fred's memorial service.

Photo credit: Robert Falconer
Photo credit: Robert Falconer

The biggest reveal from this pictures, though, comes in the form of Josie McCoy, who departed Riverdale last season in order to appear on the new CW show, Katy Keene. It seems like Josie is back in town now, though, at least for the first episode, most likely to pay her respects to Fred and his family.

Photo credit: Robert Falconer
Photo credit: Robert Falconer

Is season 4 going to be totally different from the past seasons?

Loved season one of Riverdale? Well, you're in luck! KJ Apa opened up to Extra and revealed that Riverdale is going to feel super familiar to fans who have been watching since the beginning.

"We are going back to our roots this season. We are following the vibe of Season 1, where it was more getting to know, going deeper into the relationships between the core four and stuff," he revealed.

He also said the first episode will be super emotional and talked about how it was to shoot the special Luke Perry tribute.

"Everything in that first episode is so authentic and so real that it didn’t really feel like shooting an episode of our show... It was obviously really emotional. It’s a beautiful episode; we still have a lot to shoot for it."

What did the cast reveal at San Diego Comic-Con?

Riverdale took over SDCC's biggest stage when they went to Hall H for their big panel on Sunday afternoon. Lili Reinhart, KJ Apa, Camila Mendes, Cole Sprouse, Madelaine Petch, and series creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa were all at the convention to talk about Riverdale season 4 and a lot was revealed.

What happened after the season 3 finale?

Fans have been a little worried after the season ended with a major cliffhanger featuring Archie, Veronica, and Betty in the woods, burning their clothes, and attempting to hide something before anyone found out. The biggest clue that sent fans over the edge was Betty burning Jughead's hat, which made fans question whether or not he was still alive.

Aguirre-Sacasa confirmed that the first few episodes will lead up to that crazy scene, with the mid-season finale showing what went down that night and said that Jughead is also safe.

A special someone will be joining the cast for the Luke Perry tribute episode.

The season will open up with a special tribute to Luke Perry and his character Fred Andrews. Luke's Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star Shannen Doherty will be joining the cast a special role honoring Luke. Molly Ringwald will also be around more as Mary Andrews as they deal with the aftermath of Fred's death.

There will be more musical episodes!

Fans have been holding out hope for another musical episode featuring their favorite characters breaking out into song. Aguirre-Sacasa confirmed that there will be another musical episode, much like the ones that they've done in the past with Carrie and Heathers: The Musical. He also revealed that the Archies will finally be coming to life, with Archie, Veronica, Betty, and Jughead coming together in a special Battle of the Bands episode.

There will be a Halloween episode.

The cast was excited to talk about the show's Halloween episode, which will be the first time the show will celebrate the holiday on-screen. The characters will be dressing up for the occasion, with Aguirre-Sacasa revealing that they are currently trying to get permission to have them dress as some DC superheroes. Betty will have a fun storyline as she gives out treats to trick-or-treaters at her house. Meanwhile, Cheryl will certainly be in the spirit and it will be a big episode for her that will include a death of a character.

Jughead's new school will play a huge part.

The big mystery surrounding this season will have to do with Jughead's new prep school, Stonewall, who will be a big rival to Riverdale High. The two schools will be going head to head in a big football game that will certainly start some things. Plus, Jughead will try to figure out what is really going down as he uncovers the mysteries of Stonewall. Also, Mad Dog's real name will finally be revealed and will have a bigger relationship with Archie.

Get ready to meet some brand new characters!

New school means new classmates. There will be plenty of new characters to meet when Jughead starts off at his new school and some brand new kids start off at Riverdale High. While Aguirre-Sacasa didn't say which of our favorite comics characters will finally be joining the show, he did say that there will be tons of new faces joining the cast.

Your favorite ships will be starting off strong.

Each of the actors confirmed that Choni, Bughead, and Varchie will still be going strong when the new season begins. While Varchie will be dealing with the loss of Fred Andrews and Veronica's newfound freedom, Bughead will have to figure out how to continue their relationship while only seeing each other on the weekends. "Distance makes the heart grow fonder," Cole Sprouse told the crowd. Plus, with the discovery of their new half-brother, things will certainly shake things up for Betty and Jughead.

Choni will also still be together, but Madelaine did mention that some of Cheryl's secrets will be coming out soon and possibly shaking things up.

There will be a Katy Keene crossover.

While fans have been hoping for a Chilling Adventures of Sabrina crossover with Riverdale, it looks like some of the characters might be heading to NYC for a Katy Keene crossover. Since Katy Keene takes place in the future, there's a good chance fans will get to see their favorite characters years after graduating Riverdale High.

Have they started filming?

Yes! Though it hasn't been officially confirmed, Lili hinted they have by tweeting, "Back in Vancouver. Can’t believe we’re starting season 4. #riverdale." The show is set to return to the CW on October 9.

Will they finally address Fred Andrews' departure?

Riverdale's creator, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, revealed that the premiere episode of season four will be a tribute to the late Luke Perry. Roberto posted the episode's script cover page on Instagram, writing, "Probably the most important episode of #Riverdale we’ll do this year, if not ever. A tribute to our fallen friend. Thankful for this opportunity to honor Luke & Fred."

The episode will be called "In Memoriam" and will most likely involve an explanation for Fred's departure from the show

Many fans were confused when season 3 came to an end without any mention of Fred Andrews, following Luke Perry's death in the middle of filming the season. And while Molly Ringwald, who plays Archie's mom, stepped in to play the parental role, and there was mention of Fred leaving town for a bit, his permanent departure was never explained.

The show's creator, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa explained that this was a deliberate choice. "When Luke had passed, we had already pretty much plotted out the end of this season and written the end of this season," he told Entertainment Tonight. "Rather than try to squeeze something in and potentially not get it right, we thought, let’s take a beat and let’s figure out really what would be the best way to honor Luke and to honor the character of Fred and let’s do it at the top of season four. Luckily, Molly [Ringwald] was already slated to come, so we kind of just reflected and wanted to give ourselves the time to do those things right."

And while Roberto has a plan for how to write off Fred, he wouldn't reveal the exact narrative out of "fear of it changing."

Roberto also revealed that Molly will be playing a larger role in season 4, which is probably for the best because it sure seems like Archie is really going to need some parental guidance.

When will the fourth season air?

The show's fourth season will officially be back on Wednesday, October 9 at 8 PM. This means that it will in its normal time slot of Wednesdays at 8 pm, followed immediately by The CW's new adaption of Nancy Drew.

Will there be a Katy Keene Crossover at some point?

Riverdale fans want nothing more than a crossover episode with creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's other show Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. While there hasn't been much news about the possibility of that occurring, it seems like we might be getting another crossover instead.

The CW's new show Katy Keene was also created by Roberto, and it even stars Ashleigh Murray as Josie, because of this Lucy Hale, who plays Katy, thinks that a crossover between the two shows is likely.

"There'r probably going to be a crossover," she told Entertainment Tonight. "Fingers crossed!"

Still, connecting the shows may be difficult. Despite sharing a creator and character, Lucy says that "tonally [Katy Keene] is the complete opposite of Riverdale." There's also the issue of the time jump. Katy Keene's timeline is about five years in the future compared to Riverdale, but Lucy is still hoping that the writers can figure it out. "Yes, of course, I would love to do that."

Who will be coming back for season 4?

Deadline has confirmed that Wyatt Nash, who made his Riverdale debut in the season three finale, will be returning as a recurring character in season 4.

Wyatt Played Charles, Alice and FP's long lost son, and the half-sibling to both Jughead and Betty. In the season three finale we learn that Charles is an FBI agent, looking into Edgar Evernever and The Farm. According to Deadline, Charles is "more closely tied to this town (and several of its characters) than one would guess at first glance," so he is sure to bring some excitement to Riverdale.

Besides Charles, however, it's unclear who else will be returning next season. Unlike some of our other favorite shows, no one on Riverdale is guaranteed to come back. The season 3 finale may have seen the end to a few major characters, like Hal Cooper, but it also left a ton of fates up in the air. Whether Alice, Penelope, Evelyn, and more will return next season is still up in the air.

One person we know who won’t be back in Riverdale for season 4 is Josie, who has officially headed off to New York now that Katy Keene was picked up to series by the CW. And while a crossover between Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s two shows would be pretty epic, it doesn’t seem like it’s possible.

"I'll be in my 20s," Ashleigh Murray told Seventeen about her character Josie in the new series. "It doesn't look like there would be any sort of crossovers between Katy Keene and Riverdale because of the time jump, so if the show goes to series, I won't be in season four."

What is season 4 going to be about?

Season three’s finale left so many unanswered questions, so there is a lot that the show can cover in their fourth season. Ideally, I would love to see a Bughead quest to find Alice and the rest of the Farmies, Varchie thriving once again as Archie turns El Royale into a community center, and Hiram getting the punishment he deserves. However, there will most likely be a lot more scheming, probably some more death, and of course, some power struggles. The flash forward at the end of the episode also revealed that the gang’s senior year isn’t going to go exactly as planned and by spring break, things are going to get pretty dire.

On the bright side, though, we can probably expect a third musical episode, and maybe even another flashback ep. Of course, there will most likely be a new mystery to solve, one akin to the Black Hood or Gargoyle King. While new season details are still up in the air, Camila Mendes says that fans will certainly have something to look forward to thanks to the show's writers.

"I’m always [wondering] what’s the next mystery going to be like? How are they going to make it new and fresh? And they do. They find the perfect ways of making it Riverdale," she told Newsweek.

We should also look out for a Chilling Adventures of Sabrina crossover in the next season. Roberto wanted CAOS to get its own footing before any sort of crossover occurred, but now that the show is preparing for its second season, it seems like the possibility of witches entering Riverdale is getting higher and higher.

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