This 'Riverdale' Character Is Leaving The Show To Star In The 'Katy Keene' Spinoff

It sounds like Riverdale fans are going to have to say goodbye to a fan-favorite character after this season is over. Riverdale High's resident singer Josie McCoy is about to hightail it out of Riverdale and head for the big city — and honestly, with all the murders that keep happening, can you blame her for wanting to leave? But fans of the show are actually going to see a lot more of Josie after she leaves, because Josie is leaving Riverdale to star in the Katy Keene spinoff series that was just picked up by the CW.

On Monday evening, news broke that Ashleigh Murray has been cast in a lead role in Katy Keene, the Riverdale spinoff that is likely going to premiere towards the end of 2019. The thing that makes this casting announcement tricky is that Murray is already starring in Riverdale as Josie McCoy, and she is also set to play Josie in Katy Keene. So, if Katy Keene gets picked up to series by the CW, then Murray is confirmed to officially exit Riverdale and star only in Katy Keene.

There is actually one more interesting wrinkle that fans need to know about how Josie McCoy will be changing in her move from Riverdale to Katy Keene. The new spinoff is actually set several years in the future in relation to the events on Riverdale, and the Josie on Katy Keene will actually be in her twenties rather than a high school student. This time lapse also effectively shuts down any real questions of a potential crossover between the two shows — there is still the chance that Riverdale characters could show up in the New York City of Katy Keene, but they would be in their twenties as well and years beyond the storyline being told in Riverdale.

Although Josie McCoy was a side character on Riverdale, she will step into the spotlight on Katy Keene. The new spinoff will center on four twenty-somethings struggling to make it as artists in New York City. The eponymous Katy Keene is trying to make her dreams of becoming a fashion designer come true, and of course, Josie is pursuing her passion for singing and songwriting. Josie's singing abilities have been featured numerous times throughout the three seasons of Riverdale that have aired.

The other two lead roles in Katy Keene have not been revealed yet, although a synopsis hints that one of them will be someone attempting to make it as an actor on Broadway. Ashleigh Murray is the only cast member to be announced yet.

From the sounds of things, this means that Season 3 will likely be Josie's final season on Riverdale. The third season is currently halfway through airing, and although Josie had mostly been on the sidelines, a recent storyline suggested that she may enter a romantic relationship with Archie sometime soon. Hmm, maybe we will get a big Josie storyline on Riverdale before she leaves town. Look for Katy Keene to debut on the CW later this year.