Picture: Warner Bros. Television
Netflix has confirmed it’s bringing to life in a new series the world of Scooby-Doo! The live-action adaptation will consist of eight episodes and is the second major time the cartoon has been brought to life since the movies of the early 2000s.
The news comes nearly a full year after the trades reported that Warner Bros. Television and Netflix were developing the series in April 2024. Netflix has confirmed the order of eight episodes, and a casting search will soon begin. Netflix is dubbing the new series as a “modern reimagining.” Of course, the franchise has been a thing since the late 1960s, with the original writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears creating the first iteration for Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc., which was eventually absorbed into Warner Bros. Animation. The show has seen multiple iterations on networks like ABC, CBS, Kids’ WB, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, and most recently HBO Max, with the controversial Velma series produced by Mindy Kaling.
The characters require little introduction. You’ve got the four human characters: Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley, and Shaggy Rogers, of course, their Great Dane named Scooby-Doo.
The synopsis for the new live-action series reads, “During their final summer at camp, 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.”
Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg are behind the show as both showrunners and writers with executive producer credits alongside André Nemec and Jeff Pinkner. All four operate under their Midnight Radio banner and were behind the doomed single-season of Cowboy Bebop, as well as From for MGM+ and numerous movies for Paramount and Sony Pictures.
Along with today’s announcement, a picture of the script for Episode 1, simply titled “SCOOBY-DOO,” was released.
Greg Berlanti, under Berlanti Productions, is also an executive producer. He works under an overall deal with Warner Bros. Television who is the studio behind the new show. Netflix is distributing globally. Berlanti said in a statement, “One of my first and favorite jobs in Hollywood was sitting with Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera while they signed animation cells. Josh and Scott and everyone at Midnight Radio have crafted a story that captures their amazing spirits and their genius creation. We are grateful to them and everyone at Warners and Netflix for the partnership in helping bring this iteration of Scooby-Doo to life!”
Peter Friedlander, Netflix’s Vice President of scripted series, said in a statement, “Mystery, Inc. is back in business! We’re excited to bring Scooby-Doo to TV as a live-action series for the first time. The beloved franchise has had an impact on pop culture that is undeniable — it’s rich with universal themes of friendship that generations of fans have long embraced. Together with creative powerhouses Berlanti Productions and Midnight Radio, we’re committed to delighting longtime fans and opening up a world of groovy adventures for a new era of meddling kids.”
Are you excited for Scooby-Doo getting a live-action Netflix series? Let us know in the comments.
