Numerous adaptations of the beloved Scooby-Doo franchise have graced both cinema and television screens, but one particular version stands out as the ultimate release.
Despite facing criticism upon its initial release, audiences have developed a deep affection for this big-screen gem, declaring it the finest among all Hollywood Scooby-Doo adaptations.
The Mystery Incorporated crew have entertained viewers across various platforms for decades, but a project helmed by the filmmaker behind Superman and Guardians of the Galaxy has earned acclaim as the superior version.
James Gunn wrote the screenplay for two Scooby-Doo films, with the first instalment hitting cinemas in 2002.
The adaptation proved so successful that numerous cast members continued voicing their characters in subsequent franchise entries.
The 2002 Scooby-Doo movie starred Matthew Lillard, Freddie Prinze Jr. , and Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Supporting performances from Rowan Atkinson and Isla Fisher also garnered widespread fan appreciation.
A recent viral X post sparked renewed praise for the film as amongst the finest portrayals of Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Incorporated gang ever produced.
One viewer commented: “Very funny how this movie very clearly loves every aspect and era of Scooby-Doo except for one very specific thing.”
That particular element refers to supporting character Scrappy-Doo, who gets dismissed as a comedic antagonist throughout the feature. One fan defended the character, stating: “Adults hated Scrappy, but the kids liked him, but because the adults were more vocal, it left a cultural impression that he was universally hated. Then the kids grew up and were able to defend him.”
Another added: “Scrappy is a fitting name after all the scraping of the history the character has gotten since the 80s, they keep scraping his concept but he keeps coming back.”
Some fans argue that the film has aged well, with many of the jokes aimed at an older audience. One viewer recalled: “I remember watching this as a kid and my parents loved the jokes and I was like what is this, this isn’t a kids movie.”
Another added: “I think I read somewhere this was supposed to be a comedy for adults and then they had to do a bunch of late in the game rewrites to family friendalize [SIC] it for tweens at the studio behest.”
However, not everyone was won over by the Scooby-Doo film, with some citing a major change to the series as their main issue.
One person wrote: “The problem I had with the Scooby-Doo movies is that they made them actually supernatural. The classic Scooby-Doo I grew up on always ended with the gang figuring out that it was just a normal bad guy.”
Another added: “Honestly my biggest issue with the movie was making monsters real; they’re like occasionally real in the show.”