The Scooby-Doo franchise is set for a new live-action adaptation, with Deadline reporting that Netflix has granted an eight-episode order for a new origin series for the Mystery, Inc. gang.
Initially announced as in development last year, the series hails from Midnight Radio’s Josh Appelbaum & Scott Rosenberg (Cowboy Bebop), who will serve as showrunners, with Greg Berlanti (Riverdale) producing, and is described as “an origin story of how the Mystery Inc. group got together and first teamed up to crack the haunting case that started it all.”
The logline for the 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.”
“Mystery, Inc. is back in business! We’re excited to bring Scooby-Doo to TV as a live-action series for the first time,” said Peter Friedlander, VP of Scripted Series at Netflix. “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.”
“One of my first and favorite jobs in Hollywood was sitting with Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera while they signed animation cells,” added Greg Berlanti of Berlanti Productions. “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!”
The new series will mark the latest live-action incarnation of the classic Hanna-Barbera series, following on from the 2002 and 2004 feature films Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, the 2009 and 2010 TV movies Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins and Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster, and 2018’s direct-to-video film Daphne & Velma.
