It was 11 years ago that Warner Bros. last tried to deliver a successful Scooby-Doo movie into cinemas – and they would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for all that pesky live-action business. For we all know that the Scooby Gang works best in animation – and it would seem that the studio behind the legendary cartoon has come to accept this, too. Warner Bros. has now confirmed that an animated Scooby-Doo film will arrive in theatres in 2018.
Scooby-Doo was created in 1969 by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears, and was conceived as a Saturday morning cartoon about four teenage friends and their titular talking Great Dane. The group works together to solve mysteries that appear, on the surface, to involve elements of the supernatural. The show has continued in various guises, on and off, for thirty six years, and has enjoyed enduring fandom and popularity across generations of children and adults.
The beloved characters and their iconic Mystery Machine have secured a special place in the cultural consciousness, by pooling their individual talents and expertise to approach investigations from a position of scientific scepticism – something that guarantees a narrative that is neither condescending, nor inaccessible. The fact that scientific scepticism is clearly at odds with the idea of a talking dog is really neither here nor there – this cartoon is just all-round good family fun.
The new animated movie is written by Matt Lieberman (Dr. Doolittle: Tail To The Chief), and will be directed by Tony Cervone. The experienced helmer of animation is no newcomer to the Scooby Gang, having previously directed the 2010 flick, Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo and, most recently, Scooby-Doo! And Kiss: Rock And Roll Mystery. The project has the enthusiastic backing of a number of Warner Bros. executives, who chimed in on the announcement of the movie’s release date.
Dan Fellman explained the significance of a fall premiere:
“It’s always a treat to see Scooby-Doo on the big screen and to share his larger-than-life adventures with audiences. As anticipation grows throughout the production, the movie’s mid-September release date should start the fall season with a burst of fun.”
Sue Kroll discussed the excellent calibre of producers that have assembled for this new Scooby-Doo movie – comprising, as it does, Charles Roven and Richard Suckle from the live-action franchise, and Allison Abbate, who previously produced The Iron Giant, Fantastic Mr Fox and Frankenweenie.
“It’s wonderful to be working with this talented and inspired team of filmmakers. We couldn’t ask for better producers than Charles Roven, Richard Suckle and Allison Abbate, who have such affection and respect for this property, and know the Hanna-Barbera universe so well.”
Kwan Vandenberg expressed the hope that this new big screen venture will introduce many more potential fans to the characters, building the audience even more.
“Scooby-Doo and his friends have the kind of universal appeal that reaches across cultures as well as generations. We expect this new take on the franchise to generate even more fans around the world.”
Intriguingly, Greg Silverman explained his excitement at bringing the characters back to the big screen, while hinting at the possibility of this new movie spearheading a wave of Hanna-Barbera characters in cinema.
“Like countless fans, I have always loved the Hanna-Barbera cast of characters. As one of their most famous brand ambassadors, Scooby-Doo will take the lead in re-introducing this pantheon of enduringly popular animated stars on a grand scale with an exciting new movie.”
Whether Scooby-Doo paves the way for further titles to appear, or whether it simply reboots its own franchise – the Mystery Machine will roar into theatres on September 21st, 2018.