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Scooby-Doo's Graphic Velma Spinoff Revives James Gunn's Lost Vision
Scooby-Doo's Velma is getting a spinoff show on HBO Max, with the adult animated series recalling James Gunn's concept for an R-rated Scooby movie.

Scooby-Doo's Graphic Velma Spinoff Revives James Gunn's Lost Vision

Velma, the graphic, adult-animation show based on Scooby-Doo, recalls James Gunn’s lost vision for an R-rated take on the franchise. Produced by and starring the voice of Minda Kaling and set to debut on HBO Max, Velma will be the next TV series iteration in a long history of Scooby-Doo cartoons. But unlike the others, this spinoff is geared toward mature audiences and will likely receive a TV-MA rating. As such, Velma appears to be finally realizing James Gunn’s idea for a version of Scooby-Doo for grown-ups.

James Gunn, who is now known for the comic book movie blockbusters Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad, hails from a B-movie background, having started his career at Troma Entertainment, a low-budget studio focused on gore and grossness in the horror-comedy genre. Eventually, the filmmaker reached greater heights as a screenwriter at Warner Bros., but he always retained that interest in crude material. He wrote the studio’s 2002 Scooby-Doo movie, which was initially intended to be darker and more adult in its content. But the live-action adaptation was ultimately altered to meet a PG rating, sacrificing much of the overt body horror elements that Gunn is known for, plus all references to sex and drugs.

Now, Kaling’s Velma show (which will not feature Scooby-Doo) has the opportunity to carry forth that sort of racy material Gunn was going for with the first live-action Scooby-Doo movie. Although Gunn is not involved with Velma, and there is no connection to his movie scripts, his ideas from 20 years ago are definitely felt in the adult animation series’ potential for a bloodier and raunchier take on the Scooby-Doo property. This concept will be more easily achieved with Velma because of the freedom that animation affords. When trying to portray a gorier and sexier side to murder mysteries, an animated show can bring levity to such dark and vulgar subject matter.

Because the show is animated, Velma will also get around the limitations set by live-action movie productions and their enormous budgets. Warner Bros. can stream the show specifically for an adult audience without concern for box office. James Gunn’s grand vision for a Scooby-Doo movie ended up heavily censored because of the studio’s late decision to make it a more family-friendly experience in the hopes of targeting a larger audience. There’s no need for the Velma show to aim for a lower rating and interest younger audiences and families, so its murderous plots and ghastly monsters can be taken to the extreme.

Thanks to Gunn’s original vision for the movies, the idea of a mature Scooby-Doo property has been anticipated by fans for quite a while. Finally, Velma can bring the concept to light by delivering a scarier and naughtier Scooby-Doo animated show that features adult language, nudity, and gross, twisted imagery — motifs associated with Gunn’s filmography, most recently in the DCEU’s Peacemaker show on HBO Max. Audiences may never have the chance to see the R-rated cut of Scooby-Doo, but Velma should make up for that loss. This time, nothing will be off-limits — or sanitized.