When Riverdale returns for Season 5, it will be without two original series regulars.
TV Line is reporting that Skeet Ulrich and Marisol Nichols are exiting the series ahead of Season 5.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the friendships I’ve made on Riverdale, and I will miss seeing everyone on a daily basis,” Ulrich said in a statement provided to the outlet.
“I’m proud to have been part of such a talented group of people, in front of the camera and behind. But I’ve decided that it’s time for me to move on to explore other creative opportunities.”
“I had an incredible time bringing Hermione Lodge to life and working with my amazing cast, who became family,” Nichols said in a statement provided to TVLine.
“We had so many wonderful times together during the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. We really do have the best fans ever. I am looking forward to the next chapter and am excited about the future.”
Ulrich has played F.P. Jones since the drama’s debut. F.P. is the father to Cole Sprouse’s Jughead Jones, but given the way that the character’s storyline is going, the Jones family may cease to exist in the deadly town of Riverdale at the close of Riverdale Season 4.
There’s no word on how Ulrich will be written out of the series, but it’s rare for characters to simply skip town. Jughead has apparently been killed off.
If this storyline sticks, it’s likely F.P. will vow to avenge the death, meaning that he could wind up dead himself or incarcerated.
Riverdale is well-known for head-turning twists, so there’s a good chance that Jughead will be revealed as alive down the line.
At least, that’s the common consensus among fans of the series. There’s no telling whether Gina Gershon is returning as Gladys Jones, but it’s hard to imagine her staying out of town after her son’s murder.
If you watch Riverdale online, you know F.P. has helped Archie in the aftermath of his father’s death, so it’s likely Archie will spiral after losing Jughead and F.P. so soon after the loss of his father.
Riverdale has already been renewed for Season 5, meaning that the show will definitely go on minus Ulrich.
As for Nichols, she played the mother of Veronica Lodge and the long-suffering wife of Hiram Lodge.
She has been a part of the series since the 2017 premiere, but her character has not been featured prominently of late.
Additionally, the series has been focusing on what some of the characters will be doing post-high school, so it’s possible the characters will live on off-screen.
That being said, anything is possible with Riverdale.
What are your thoughts on this news?
Will you miss F.P. Jones? Do you think this news seals Jughead’s fate?
How about Hermione? Did you guess she was on her way out of Riverdale?
Hit the comments.
Riverdale continues Wednesdays at 8/7c.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.