Netflix gives 'Scooby-Doo' an origin story more than 50 years after the franchise began

Highlights

• Netflix has revealed the first footage from its upcoming live-action series Scooby-Doo: Origins.
• The show will explore how Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc gang first came together.
• A supernatural murder mystery sits at the centre of the story, giving the franchise a darker starting point.

A different beginning for Mystery Inc

Netflix has offered fans an early glimpse of Scooby-Doo: Origins, its upcoming live-action take on the beloved franchise, and the series appears to be taking the gang into darker territory than previous adaptations.

The newly released footage shows Scooby-Doo running through woodland near a summer camp before crossing paths with Shaggy, setting up the friendship that would eventually become one of the most recognisable partnerships in popular culture.

Currently filming in Atlanta, the series is scheduled to debut in 2027.

A mystery that starts with murder

Rather than focusing on the familiar monster-of-the-week adventures associated with the animated series, Scooby-Doo: Origins centres on a supernatural murder mystery.

According to Netflix, the story unfolds during the gang's final summer at camp. When Shaggy and Daphne become entangled in a case involving a lost Great Dane puppy believed to have witnessed a supernatural killing, they find themselves drawn into a mystery that threatens to expose secrets they would rather keep hidden.

The investigation brings them together with Velma, a scientifically minded local teenager, and Freddy, a charismatic newcomer. As the mystery deepens, the four must work together to uncover the truth.

Familiar characters, reimagined for a new generation

The cast includes Tanner Hagen as Norville "Shaggy" Rogers, Mckenna Grace as Daphne Blake, Abby Ryder Fortson as Velma Dinkley and Maxwell Jenkins as Fred Jones. Paul Walter Hauser has also joined the project in an undisclosed role.

Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg serve as writers and showrunners, while Toby Haynes will direct the opening episode. The series is produced by Warner Bros Television alongside Berlanti Productions.

By shifting the focus from light-hearted mystery solving to a supernatural murder investigation, Scooby-Doo: Origins aims to explore how the famous sleuthing team was formed long before they became Mystery Inc. For a franchise built on uncovering secrets, Netflix is starting at the very beginning.