Archie Comics announced in a Thursday press release that the controversial 16th issue of “Life With Archie” had completely sold out.
Archie Comics announced in a Thursday press release that the controversial 16th issue of “Life With Archie” had completely sold out. Archie Comics

After 72 years, the beloved "Archie" comic book characters will finally make the jump from their crisp pages to the big screen.

Archie Comics said in a statement that Warner Bros. Pictures will produce a new live-action film based on the lead characters in the series, Reuters reports.

The first "Archie" comic was released in 1941 as a marketing ploy to draw in the fans of Andy Hardy movies, Variety says.

The story was set in the fictional town of Riverdale, where Archie lived the life of a regular teen -- juggling his love interests Veronica Lodge and Betty Cooper while also finding time to entertain the schemes his best friend Jughead Jones.

The film will follow Archie as he enters a "teenage midlife crisis" and prepares for graduation from his Riverdale high school.

Jason Moore, known for his recent work on "Pitch Perfect," will direct the film. The screenplay will be written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa of "Glee."

No additional details were released about the project.

Archie Comics CEO John Goldwater is excited about the upcoming project and what it will mean to "Archie" lovers worldwide.

"We are thrilled to be working with Warner Bros. on this project and have complete faith in their ability to bring Archie to the big screen in a way the fans will love," Jon Goldwater, publisher and co-CEO of Archie Comics, said in the statement.

Archie Comics have sold more than 1.5 billion comics worldwide, publishing the books in 12 different languages.