Kiernan Shipka to play Sabrina the Teenage Witch in Riverdale spin-off

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

In what seems to be some fairly pitch-perfect casting (should I have gone with witch-perfect?), Netflix has tapped Mad Men's Kiernan Shipka to play Sabrina the Teenage Witch in their upcoming Riverdale spin-off. The series has already been given a two season, straight-to-series order, and will reimagine the origin of Sabrina as a dark, coming of age tale that traffics in horror, the occult, and witchcraft. Spooky.

Described as being in the vein of ROSEMARY'S BABY and THE EXORCIST, the Netflix series will find Sabrina "wrestling to reconcile her dual nature as a half-witch, half-mortal while fighting the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit." So, if you're looking for something akin to the Melissa Joan Hart series, I'd imagine this won't be it. This version of Sabrina Spellman is described as "an empowered young woman, half-human, half-witch who is just beginning her dark education as a sorceress, even as she tries to maintain a normal life as a sophomore at Baxter High. Intelligent, compassionate and brave to the point of recklessness, Sabrina is all that stands between us and the forces of darkness that threaten our world." The series was in development at The CW, which is where Riverdale calls home, and a casting search was already underway, but with the move to Netflix, that search was begun anew and Kiernan Shipka emerged as the top choice.

"We’re all such huge fans of Kiernan’s work that when we started talking about who this new incarnation of Sabrina could be, her name was on everyone’s wish list. This is a darker, more macabre version of Sabrina, and we’re incredibly excited for people to see Kiernan make this iconic character her own," Riverdale executive producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa said, with Archie Comics CEO Jon Goldwater adding, "I am thrilled that Kiernan is playing Sabrina and have no doubt that she will embody the strength, courage and boldness that has made the character a fan favorite." Best known for her role as Sally Draper on Mad Men, Shipka also recently appeared on Ryan Murphy's Feud: Bette and Joan as B. D. Merrill, daughter to Bette Davis.

What say you? Is Kiernan Shipka the right choice for Sabrina the Teenage Witch?