HOME / ENTERTAINMENT / TV

‘Scooby-Doo: Origins’ begins production as Netflix finally reveals first look

Mystery Inc. gang set to come back on Netflix, with production kicking off in Atlanta.

The beloved 'Scooby Doo' gang is finally coming back. Netflix recently announced that production on its reiteration titled 'Scooby-Doo: Origins' is officially underway in Atlanta. The announcement came with a poster that featured, for the first time, McKenna Grace as Daphne Blake, Tanner Hagen as Shaggy Rogers, Abby Ryder Fortson as Velma Dinkley, and Maxwell Jenkins as Fred Jones. The famous Great Dane does not make an appearance, but he will undoubtedly play a pivotal part in the series. Paul Walter Hauser will also join the cast in a top-secret role. Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg will serve as the showrunners for the show, which, as the title suggests, will show how the gang got together for their first adventure and eventually became what is now known as Mystery Inc. 

The synopsis was revealed around a month ago on Netflix's official social media handles. "In this modern reimagining, old friends Shaggy and Daphne team up at summer camp with scientific townie Velma and the strange but handsome Fred to solve the mystery of a lonely lost Great Dane puppy — who may have witnessed a supernatural murder," the synopsis revealed. Applebaum and Rosenberg will also serve as executive producers for the series through their company, Midnight Radio. They will be joined by Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman (via Berlanti Productions), Toby Haynes, and André Nemec, Jeff Pinkner, and Adrienne Erickson (via Midnight Radio). Haynes will also take over directing duties for the first episode. 

These characters were brought to life by Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera as animations back in 1969. “One of my first and favorite jobs in Hollywood was sitting with Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera while they signed animation cels,” shared Berlanti, who is known for his work in 'Arrowverse' and 'Riverdale.' "Josh and Scott and everyone at Midnight Radio have crafted a story that captures their amazing spirits and their genius creation." The original series 'Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!' aired on CBS from 1969 to 1976, as per Deadline. Thereafter, the show moved to ABC. Various versions of the show aired on the network until it went off the air in 1986. Recently, HBO Max created a teen adult animation series named 'Velma,' based on the character with the same name in the gang. 

The gang has also appeared in two live-action movies, where Freddie Prinze Jr. played Fred Jones, Sarah Michelle Gellar played Daphne Blake, Matthew Lillard played Shaggy Rogers, and Linda Cardellini played Velma Dinkley. The gang has also found its way into other popular franchises, like the DC Universe and 'Supernatural'. It is safe to say that Netflix's take on the 'Scooby Doo' gang has some big shoes to fill. However, the production has kick-started, but no release date has been provided yet.