Like, zoinks… The cartoon super star Scooby-Doo will be the next animation icon to get a live-action spin on Netflix, the streamer announced today. The all-new, eight-episode project from Warner Bros. Television, Berlanti Prod. and Midnight Radio — the long-running Hanna-Barbera franchise’s first live-action series — will be an origin story about the Mystery, Inc. gang and their scaredy cat canine mascot.
“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 Freidlander, 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.”
Fans will have to wait for first-look imagery to see how Scoob’s cartoony characterization is translated to this live-action world. This Saturday morning classic will now join Netflix’s popular live-action adaptations of animated properties such as One Piece and Avatar: The Last Airbender, as well as the Addams Family-inspired Wednesday, which reached No. 1 on the streamer’s English TV chart.
Logline: A modern reimagining of the iconic mystery-solving group of teens and their very special dog. 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.
Midnight Radio’s Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg are showrunners, writers and executive producers on the series. Executive producers are Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman (via Berlanti Productions and its overall deal with Warner Bros. Television), André Nemec and Jeff Pinkner (via Midnight Radio).
For more than 50 years, Scooby-Doo has been a pop culture powerhouse — generating three theatrical films, more than a dozen animated series and nearly 40 animated home entertainment movies.
“One of my first and favorite jobs in Hollywood was sitting with Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera while they signed animation cels,” shares Berlanti. “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!”
Clancy Collins White, President of Creative Affairs at Warner Bros. Television, added, “We’re thrilled to collaborate with our longstanding partners at Berlanti Productions and with Midnight Radio to bring the legendary Scooby-Doo franchise to a live-action series for the first time. It’s no mystery why audiences continue to love these iconic characters after more than a half century. We’re excited for a new generation to discover Mystery Inc. And we’re grateful to our partners at Netflix for the opportunity.”
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