TVKIDS
Netflix has ordered the first live-action Scooby-Doo series, with Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg of Midnight Radio as writers and showrunners.
The eight-part series will be a modern reimagining of the iconic mystery-solving group of teens and their special dog. During their final summer at camp, old friends Shaggy and Daphne become embroiled in a mystery surrounding a lonely, lost Great Dane puppy that may have been a witness to a supernatural murder. Together with the pragmatic and scientific Velma and the strange but handsome new kid Freddy, they set out to solve the case.
Executive producers for the new Scooby-Doo series are Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Leigh London Redman via Berlanti Productions and its overall deal with Warner Bros. Television and André Nemec and Jeff Pinkner via Midnight Radio.
For more than 50 years, Scooby-Doo has been a pop culture icon, generating three theatrical films, more than a dozen animated series and nearly 40 animated home-entertainment movies.
“Mystery Inc. is back in business!” said Peter Friedlander, VP of scripted series at Netflix. “We’re excited to bring Scooby-Doo to TV as a live-action series for the first time. 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 long-time 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,” commented executive producer 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 Warner Bros. 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 long-standing 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.”
