3 Reasons You Won't See Scooby-Doo In HBO Max's 'Velma'

HBO Max's "Velma" is a departure from the original cartoon series and spin-off movies you may have grown up with. The upcoming adult animated series, which is set to hit the platform on January 12, centers on the nerdy and smart Velma Dinkley (Mindy Kaling), a teenage girl and aspiring detective determined to reveal the identity of the serial killer behind a series of murders that target young girls. In addition to focusing on the origins of Velma's character, the series also brings together characters Daphne Blake (Constance Wu), Fred Jones (Glenn Howerton), and Norville "Shaggy" Rogers (Sam Richardson) in the story, and features a new, revitalized Find out how the Mystery Inc. gang came to be.

“Velma” has all the components to make it an exciting new reboot, but many have criticized the series for not including arguably the most important character from the beloved original franchise: Scooby Doo. Although the adorable pup's absence from the show seems like an injustice, the creators of "Velma" have a few good reasons behind the decision. Ahead of the series premiere, here's why you won't see Scooby-Doo in "Velma."

While attending New York Comic Con in October 2022, showrunner "Velma" Charlie Grady explained why Scooby Doo was dropped from the show. According to Grady, the decision was made, in part, to differentiate the show from the kids' favorite. "We couldn't have a vision like, 'How can we do this in a fun, modern way? It was like Scooby-Doo was what made it a kids' show," he explained in the panel (via Insider).

In addition to Scooby being too soft for the mature elements of "Velma", Grady shared that the goal was to respect the original characters. "When we were going into the show and thinking about adapting it, we wanted to be respectful… We didn't want to just take these beloved characters and put them in outrageous or gross situations and say, 'Isn't that right? is it crazy that you did that to Velma?'"

Last (and perhaps most importantly), according to Grady, Warner Brothers Animation did not allow HBO Max and the show's creators to use Scooby in the show.

Although Scooby Doo is absent from 'Velma', the series will make up for it with its new creative spin on the team at Mystery Inc.. Catch the 'Velma' series premiere on HBO Max on January 12th and watch the teaser below!

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