Netflix has officially started production on its new live action Scooby-Doo series, and the first photos of the Mystery Inc. gang are finally here. The streaming giant announced on April 24, 2026, that filming is now underway in Atlanta, Georgia for Scooby-Doo: Origins. The show brings back the beloved teenage detectives with a new cast, and early reactions from followers are mostly positive. Many are calling the actor choices a perfect match for the classic cartoon characters.
The new series will tell the story of how the group first came together. Unlike the 2002 movies with Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. , this version focuses on the early years of Shaggy, Daphne, Velma, and Fred. Netflix released a group photo showing all four actors dressed as their characters. The image has spread quickly across social media, sparking thousands of comments from both old-school fans and a new generation of viewers.
Scooby-Doo: Origins Cast Brings the Mystery Inc. Gang to Life
The casting for Scooby-Doo: Origins includes some of Hollywood’s rising young stars. Mckenna Grace plays Daphne Blake. Tanner Hagen takes on the role of Shaggy Rogers. Abby Ryder Fortson is Velma Dinkley, and Maxwell Jenkins plays Fred Jones. Paul Walter Hauser has also joined the cast in a secret role that has not been shared with the public yet.
Fans online are very happy with the studio’s choices. Many pointed out that the actors look very similar to the original drawings from the Hanna-Barbera cartoons. One user wrote, “This cast looks PERFECT!” Another person said, “You know how hard it was for Netflix to keep them all white,” praising the show for staying close to the original character designs.
Some followers are very excited to see Mckenna Grace as Daphne. They believe she brings the right mix of confidence and charm to the role. Maxwell Jenkins as Fred also got good feedback, with viewers saying he looks like he walked right out of the cartoon. The casting of Abby Ryder Fortson as Velma is also being praised for capturing the smart and sometimes awkward nature of the character.
First Look Reveals a Darker Mystery for a New Generation
Scooby-Doo: Origins will not be a simple remake of old episodes. The show is described as a “modern reimagining” of the franchise. The story starts during the gang’s final summer at a camp. Old friends Shaggy and Daphne find themselves in the middle of a scary mystery involving a lost Great Dane puppy. This puppy may have seen a supernatural murder.
The duo then teams up with Velma, who is a local science lover, and the new kid Freddy to solve the case. The official logline says the mystery will pull each character into a nightmare that could reveal all their secrets. The show will have eight episodes and is being made by Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg, who worked on High Fidelity. Greg Berlanti is also an executive producer.
Fans React to Scooby’s Absence and the Show’s New Look
While many people love the casting, the first look has also caused some debates online. One big question on every viewer’s mind is about the dog. Scooby-Doo himself is not in the first photo. Fans quickly asked, “Very good cast, but what about the dog???” Another person joked, “I heard that Scooby doesn’t get introduced until the last episode.”
There are also mixed feelings about the show’s style. Some followers think the first look does not have the gothic and spooky feeling of the original cartoons. Others argued that the show is meant for a younger audience. One user wrote, “People need to realise we aren’t the target demographic for this, it’s for pre-teens and teens, not adults.”
Despite some criticism, many fans are happy that Netflix is avoiding the mistakes of the Velma adult animated series, which received bad reviews for changing the characters too much. Viewers are glad the new live action show keeps the characters as they were originally created.
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When Will Scooby-Doo: Origins Release on Netflix?
Netflix has not set a specific release date for Scooby-Doo: Origins yet. The show just started production in Atlanta, and filming is expected to last for several months. Since the series will need a lot of time for post-production work, specifically to create the CGI version of Scooby-Doo, the release will likely happen in 2027.
The show joins a long list of Netflix projects filmed in Georgia, including Stranger Things and other major titles. With the first look now out and production moving forward, fans can expect more updates soon. The streaming service will likely share a teaser trailer once filming wraps up.
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