The Real Scooby Is Here, and Netflix’s Live-Action ‘Scooby-Doo: Origins’ Already Has the Internet Divided
Few animated characters have maintained the cultural staying power of a certain mystery-sniffing Great Dane, and for over five decades, every new version of Scooby-Doo has arrived with a wave of nostalgia and sky-high expectations. Since debuting on CBS in 1969, the iconic Great Dane and his “Ruh-roh!” catchphrase have conquered everything from Saturday morning cartoons to the big screen. Now the franchise is stepping into boldly new territory, and Netflix is betting big on bringing the whole gang back to life in a way that has never been done before.
Netflix confirmed in March 2025 that it had greenlit a brand new live-action adaptation of ‘Scooby-Doo’. The upcoming origin story from the producers of ‘Riverdale’ and ‘You’ reimagines the Mystery Inc. gang for a new generation. The series has been officially titled ‘Scooby-Doo: Origins’, with production now underway in Atlanta. The eight-episode season will feature younger versions of the iconic characters, with executive producers including Greg Berlanti and showrunners Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg.
The biggest reveal to hit the internet this week, however, was not about the human cast. Netflix has unveiled the star of ‘Scooby-Doo: Origins’, marking the first time in the franchise that the titular character will appear as a real dog. The images, which surfaced across social media and racked up hundreds of thousands of views within hours, show a small brown puppy bounding across a tiled floor wearing a teal collar, appearing playful, energetic, and unmistakably delighted. @DiscussingFilm was among the accounts sharing the new look, posting the images alongside the confirmation that the series is coming soon to Netflix.
Netflix unveiled both a photo and a teaser clip, with the footage featuring Tanner Hagen’s Shaggy picking up the puppy and receiving a few enthusiastic licks on his face. According to the official logline, during their final summer at camp, old friends Shaggy and Daphne become embroiled in a haunting mystery surrounding a lonely lost Great Dane puppy that may have been a witness to a supernatural murder, joined by Velma and the new kid Freddy as they uncover a creepy nightmare threatening to expose all of their secrets.
The internet’s reaction has been anything but unanimous. While the dog shown is undoubtedly adorable, fans of the original show have refused to fully accept him as Scooby-Doo, previously depicted as a fully grown animated Great Dane. Some viewers questioned whether a real-life puppy could ever capture the larger-than-life personality of the animated original, while others were completely won over. One social media user wrote “A REAL DOG? Netflix just won 2027,” while another fan added, “As long as he can talk bro we good.”
The human side of Mystery Inc. consists of Maxwell Jenkins as Fred Jones, Tanner Hagen as Norville “Shaggy” Rogers, Abby Ryder Fortson as Velma Dinkley, and Mckenna Grace as Daphne Blake. Paul Walter Hauser, known for ‘Black Bird’ and ‘The Naked Gun’, is also officially joining as a series regular. The series is currently filming in Atlanta and is scheduled to premiere in 2027.
Whether that small brown puppy wins over the skeptics or deepens the divide, one thing is clear. ‘Scooby-Doo: Origins’ has already sparked the exact kind of passionate debate that only a beloved franchise can generate, and the show has not even arrived yet. Does the idea of a real dog stepping into Scooby’s iconic paws excite you, or do you think CGI was always the right call for a character this legendary?
