New 'Riverdale' Photos From The Heathers Musical Episode Tease Cole Sprouse's Singing Debut

This year's musical episode of Riverdale will have one important new cast member. When the show staged Carrie: The Musical last season, all of the main characters had parts in the show and sang, except for Jughead Jones. While Cole Sprouse may have avoided a song-and-dance number last year, he will be belting his heart out with the rest of his castmates this year. New Riverdale photos from the Heathers musical episode show Jughead among the cast of Riverdale High's new musical.

When Riverdale showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa first announced that Heathers: The Musical would be at the center of this season's musical episode, he added that "everyone is singing this year." The comment seemed to be a clear reference to Jughead notably sitting out of the musical last year, opting to document behind-the-scenes footage rather than get in front of the spotlight himself. At the time, Aguirre-Sacasa revealed to TVLine that he had already gotten some idea that Cole Sprouse was not keen on singing at a cast karaoke party, and Sprouse made it clear that he was hesitant about being involved in the musical episode:

Cole and I talked about it a while ago, and I said, "How do you feel about musicals?" At that time, we were going to do Little Shop of Horrors. And he basically said, "Listen, I never sang for Disney. It would take a lot."

Cole Sprouse and his twin brother Dylan have joked in the past that they were two of the few Disney Channel stars who did not record music.

And after the musical Riverdale episode aired, Dylan Sprouse joked that he would have roasted his brother if he had sang.

Well, get ready to roast, Dylan, because Jughead is part of this year's musical episode. Newly released photos from next week's big musical episode show Jughead rehearsing on stage with the rest of the cast:

Strangely, Jughead was not on the cast list that Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa shared when the episode was announced.

So what role could Jughead be playing? Well, he seems like a perfect choice for the rebellious outcast J.D., even though the cast list reveals Sweet Pea has gotten that part. But in the above photo of the cast all singing together, Jughead is in the center and Sweet Pea is all the way off to the side. Maybe Jughead will take over the role from Sweet Pea somehow?

Jughead's singing debut is not the only thing for Riverdale fans to get excited about. The new photos also show Cheryl, Betty, and Veronica decked out in preppy '80s gear as the Heathers, Toni working out her issues with Cheryl through some character work, and who else but Josie could star as the show's lead role of Veronica Sawyer.

But there is some darkness looming over this musical, since it is being directed by the Farm's new member Kevin Keller and head Farmie Evelyn Evernever.

The rest of the new shots show Toni speaking to Betty about something, the Lodges ominously sitting in the audience on opening night, and Archie having a moment with Josie at his boxing gym:

Riverdale's musical episode, "Big Fun," will air on Wednesday, March 20 at 8 p.m. ET on the CW.