Since debuting in 1969, there have been countless iterations of Scooby-Doo and the gang. Ranking amongst some of the best Scooby movies are the 2002 and 2004 live-action takes on the beloved franchise. One of the film’s stars, Sarah Michelle Gellar, has recently shared her thoughts on whether or not a Scooby-Doo 3 is still possible all these years later.
While promoting her new television series Wolf Pack (available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription), Gellar was interviewed by ET, who asked the actress what it would take to get the live-action Mystery Inc. gang back together again. While the Buffy star doesn’t rule a third Scooby movie out, she, to fans’ possible chagrin, didn’t say yes either. Gellar said:
I think they moved on to cartoons now. I think it’s, like, all cyclical, right? So, it’s like cartoon, live action — they’re back to cartoon now.
The actress is, of course, referencing HBO’s controversial adult Scooby-Doo-less reimagining of the property, Velma. The animated series, which was developed by and starring Mindy Kaling as the titular heroine, has been slammed by critics and viewers alike since its premiere. Many viewers have pointed out the “unpleasant” nature of the characters and how it even belongs in the Scooby-Doo universe instead of being an original show. While the series has been slammed, it does have some redeemable aspects, which you can see for yourself in our list of things that aren’t complete garbage.
Those upset about the NSFW aspect of Velma should know the original script penned by James Gunn was intended to be rated R, and they had to use CGI on unwanted cleavage. Yep. Velma isn’t the first crack at an adult-only version of your favorite lovable talking dog. The negative response Velma has received could make the desire for a sequel to the James Gunn-penned live-action film franchise more appealing to the powers that be. Never say never!
While a Mystery Gang reunion isn’t entirely on the schedule of new movie releases, fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (our ranking of every season) were treated to a mini-reunion on the red carpet between Gellar and her longtime Buffy costar, James Marsters. The actress also answered questions about whether she’ll re-team with her husband, Freddie Prince Jr., for Wolf Pack–which would be a small Scooby-Doo reunion in its own right. She said:
I think it depends on the story. I think you don’t wanna do things for the factor, just to surprise people. It has to be sort of innate for the show, so, you never know.
There you have it, Scooby fans. It’s not a yes or a no to a possible third film starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., Matthew Lillard, and Linda Cardellini as our beloved team. So, this lifelong fan chooses to stay optimistic about the prospects of a third movie in the franchise.
Sarah Michelle Gellar can be seen next on the 2023 television schedule in her Paramount+ supernatural series Wolf Pack, based on the Edo Van Belkom book series.