[Image: WBEI. TM & Hanna-Barbara]
Remember the meddling kids, the unmasking of villains, and that lovable Great Dane who somehow made sandwiches look gourmet? It’s been over 50 years of spooky adventures and zany hijinks, but somehow, through all the reboots and reruns, we’ve never gotten a proper live-action series. Until now.
Netflix just sent the internet into a bit of a Scooby Snack-fueled frenzy, announcing it will soon be rolling out the first-ever live-action “Scooby-Doo” television series – and here’s the kicker: it’s set before the Mystery Inc. gang officially teamed up.
Yes, that means the show is set before Mystery Inc. ever became Mystery Inc., back when the gang were just awkward teens (or tweens?) with a knack for finding trouble, notes USA Today.
For decades, we’ve seen the crew bounce between animated formats and the occasional live-action movie (shoutout to the 2002 and 2004 classics—more on that in a sec), but this is the first time we’re getting a proper serialised, live-action take on the gang’s early days.
The new series is pitched as an origin story based on the original Hanna-Barbera characters we grew up with. And here’s what Netflix had to say to set the scene:
“During their final summer at Camp Ruby-Spears, old friends Shaggy and Daphne get embroiled in a haunting mystery surrounding a lonely lost Great Dane puppy that may have been a witness to a supernatural murder. Together with the pragmatic and scientific townie, Velma, and the strange, but ever-so-handsome new kid, Freddy, they set out to solve the case that is pulling each of them into a creepy nightmare that threatens to expose all of their secrets.”
Ominous? Absolutely. Intriguing? No doubt. And possibly… more grown-up than expected?
TikTok user Jake Lubbehusen seems to think so. Referring to the “supernatural murder” mentioned in the synopsis, he speculated that “We might be looking at more of an adult-oriented type show, which honestly, I am here for.”
But not everyone’s sold just yet. TikTok user Miko raised an eyebrow at the idea of a puppy Scooby-Doo and older teen counterparts.
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Honestly, the timeline gymnastics might get a little tricky. But hey, this is Scooby-Doo – continuity has always been a little… flexible.
Of course, there’s some baggage. After HBO’s polarising take on Velma, some fans are side-eyeing any mention of a “modern reimagining.” The scars are fresh.
“In a world where our most current ‘Scooby-Doo’ content is ‘Velma’ and that’s just pure trash, I’m willing to accept a live-action ‘Scooby-Doo’ series on Netflix,” said TikTok user Cris Parker, known as C3 Films.
Behind the scenes, the series is in the hands of Midnight Radio, those folks behind Netflix’s live-action Cowboy Bebop, Hulu’s High Fidelity, and Everything Sucks. That team includes Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg, with Greg Berlanti and his powerhouse crew (Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman) also onboard.
But let’s talk about the elephant in the room, or should we say, the sandwich-chomping stoner and his stylish squad. Fans are already begging for the return of the 2002–2004 movie cast: Matthew Lillard (forever our Shaggy), Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Linda Cardellini. That lineup still holds a nostalgic stranglehold on millennials.
Casting for the new series? Still under wraps. Release date? Also TBD. But expectations? Oh, they’re sky-high and coated in Scooby Snacks.
Let’s just hope this one doesn’t go the way of Velma, yeah?
[Source: USA Today]
