Live-Action Scooby-Doo Series From Greg Berlanti in the Works at Netflix
Jinkies!
Netflix and Greg Berlanti’s production company are teaming up to create a live-action Scooby-Doo! TV show, our sister site Deadline reports.
Scooby-Doo! The Live-Action Series has landed at the streamer with a script-to-series commitment, meaning that if Netflix is pleased with the scripts, the show will get a straight-to-series order. Cowboy Bebop‘s Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg are among the potential series’ executive producers; Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television will produce.
The original Scooby-Doo! was an animated series that followed a group of teen sleuths and their talking dog as they solved supernatural mysteries. It originally aired on CBS from 1969 to 1976, and was followed by various iterations and reboots, including Max’s Velma, which recently dropped its second season.
The gang also was featured in a 2002 live-action movie (and 2004 sequel) starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., Matthew Lillard and Linda Cardellini.
In 2021, TVLine predicted that The Mystery Machine might get taken out for another ride. “Always a hot property, Scooby-Doo basically gets reanimated at least once a year on screens large and small,” we wrote at the time. “But we’ve yet to see the franchise reach its final form: a Riverdale-esque teen drama, most likely on The CW. (For the record, we wouldn’t hate this one at all.)”
What do you think about a live-action Scooby series? Hit the comments, and let us know!
I can’t wait for them to release it in 2026, then the second season at the end of 2029 and a few days later they cancel it, I’m excited
Best comment! So difficult to get invested in anything Netflix does when they cancel everything so quickly after a couple of 8 episode seasons.
A couple of 8 episode seasons, spread over 3-5 years.
I have a feeling this is to capitalize on the success of Wednesday and also allow a Sabrina and Riverdale take on Scooby Doo.
Maybe they can cast Mindy Kaling as Velma.
HELL NO!
I remember there being a pilot of a live action Scooby Doo on YouTube starring Chris Villian as Shaggy. Unfortunately they never made another episode because of COVID or other reason I really cannot remember what it was. But they had a handsome Great Dane named Thor who played Scooby.
Yes I remember that. I visited the page the other day and they are still trying to claim that another episode is coming but I’m like it’s too late now. You lost the momentum
That one wasn’t half bad. The question is, though, will it be of a serious tone, like this one, or comedic, like the movies.
Can’t be any worse than Mindy Kaling’s Velma…
After the atrocity that is Velma and being it’s on Netflix which is known for original content in the vein of Velma I don’t have any hopes for this whatsoever.
I am confident in Berlanti being involved, his live-action takes on IPs has proven to be pretty great (just look at his DC shows) however I don’t know if I’m excited about the showrunners that are being considered since they did not meet the expectations with the Cowboy Bebop live-action show that was done for Netflix. I’d feel more at ease if Berlanti was also a showrunner. But hoping for the best.
While we can hope that the indie Mystery Incorporated series is this show rather than it being competition. I will be remain hopeful that this show will become a success.
I would love this if it weren’t on Netflix. Netflix doesn’t deserve this show. I’d rather it go to Max.
If David Zaslav hadn’t opened up WB IP to everyone and their mother, it probably would have been an HBO Max show. But HBO Max is now just Max, and Zaslav is trying to make money however he can, and he probably thinks that licensing the property to Netflix will bring more money to his already overflowing pocket.
So will this be a “dark” Scooby-Doo with complex sexual relationships, deep family backstories, and powerful supervillains (as opposed to Old Man Mertz in a Party Town ghost costume)?
It can’t be worst than Max’s Velma…
The “Riverdale” formula would work well here…and I wonder how many trained great danes they will need :)
“a Riverdale-esque teen drama”
Can’t wait to see Velma horny 24/7 and Fred fight a bear.
okay its interesting as long as it doesn’t turn into riverdale
Scooby Doo does not need to be Riverdaled!!!
Why can’t they come up with original characters in original ideas!! Take a chance on new stuff or at least turn a novel into a series since there are plenty to choose from. I love Scooby-Doo but this is just unnecessary. I wouldn’t be surprised if they wanted to do a “dark” version of The Flinstones or The Jetsons, anything but an original idea. SMH
An original idea would take effort, something that seems to be lacking in Hollywood, and has for the past several decades.
it’s more like it would take executives being willing to take a risk. They’re more likely to greenlight something that is based on an existing IP than they are on something new, because with viewership being spread so thin, it’s near impossible to get something brand new to be a breakout hit. At least with existing IP there’s a built in base… I’m not saying it’s right, it’s just as long as everything is spread as thin as it is, that’s probably how it will remain.
As I navigated away, I thought of the Tiny Toons reboot. The creator wanted to explore a sibling relationship, but it was going to be much easier to greenlight an existing IP than to come to studios with something new, and that’s how we get Buster and Babs as siblings instead of ‘no relation’. It’s… very unfortunate, I just don’t know how we’re ever going to get it set right.
Oh dear. Weren’t the Cowboy Bebop remake, Velma, and the Scooby Doo movie bad enough?
Well, if actors and crew are getting work…
Nobody ever mentions that there are two made-for-TV live-action films: Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins (2009) and Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster (2010). They are really great.
Take inspiration from the nancy drew one. Also get the people that were involved in the YouTube pilot involved
I can’t believe they are making a live action Scooby Doo live series.
Who is going to be in it? And, are there any more cartoons that are or were going to be made real.
Look at the Flintstones. They had a live action movie. Look at GI Joe. They had a live action movie as well. Are those going to be released as real action TV shows?