The Mystery Inc. gang is gearing up for a return to Coolsville, and they won’t be alone. André “3000” Benjamin, best known as one half of the hip-hop duo Outkast, and Raging Bull star Cathy Moriarty have been cast in Scooby-Doo: Origins, which is currently filming in Atlanta.
According to Deadline, the pair will play recurring roles in the Netflix live-action series, though specifics remain under wraps. They join previously announced leads Mckenna Grace as Daphne Blake, Tanner Hagen as Shaggy Rogers, Abby Ryder Fortson as Velma Dinkley, Maxwell Jenkins as Fred Jones, and, of course, the titular canine – portrayed by a real-life dog for the first time in franchise history. Paul Walter Hauser has also been added as a series regular, with Sara Gilbert, Bruce McGill, and Sherilyn Fenn among the additional cast.
First announced in 2024, Scooby-Doo: Origins is described as a “modern reimagining” of the long-running cartoon and is set to run for eight episodes. Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg serve as showrunners, writers, and executive producers, alongside André Nemec and Jeff Pinkner under their Midnight Radio banner, as well as Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Leigh London Redman via Berlanti Productions. Warner Bros. Television will produce, while Toby Haynes (Doctor Who, Black Mirror) is executive producing and directing the pilot episode.
The official logline 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.”
The series is set to premiere in 2027 and marks the second live-action take on the cartoon following the 2002 film, starring Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, and Linda Cardellini. It grossed over US$250 million worldwide and spawned an equally popular sequel, Scooby-Doo: Monsters Unleashed. Together with fellow OutKast member Big Boi, Killer Mike, and Sleepy Brown, Benjamin co-wrote the song for the first film, “Land of a Million Drums,” making his forthcoming gig a full-circle moment.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
