James Gunn is one of the busiest men in Hollywood right now. Following the success of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, Gunn jumped ship to become the new co-president of DC Studios with Peter Safran. The filmmaker now spends his days reading and approving scripts from writers and filmmakers, as well as directing his own fair share of new DC projects. But before Gunn became known for superhero films, he worked with another beloved IP, and his two films under the Scooby-Doo label are about to arrive on Netflix.
Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed stream on Netflix on January 1. Gunn wrote the screenplays for both movies, with Raja Gosnell directing. Scooby-Doo was the first attempt to bring the beloved paranormal detectives to the big screen. Released in 2002, the film stars Freddie Prinze Jr. (Fred Jones), Sarah Michelle Gellar (Daphne Blake), Linda Cardellini (Velma Dinkley), Matthew Lillard (Shaggy Rogers), and Neil Fanning (Scoobert “Scooby” Doobert Doo III). The film received poor reviews (32% on Rotten Tomatoes) from critics upon release, but… they’re wrong. Scooby-Doo is a cinematic masterpiece, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. The film saw the gang travel to Spooky Island, where the mischievous Scrappy “Dappy” Doo unleashes his plan for revenge.
Gunn, Gosnell, and the gang returned in 2004 for a second mystery. Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed put the group back on home soil, with the mystery machine in tow. The sequel saw the gang save Coolsville from a string of monster attacks, as a journalist attempted to discredit their findings. The main cast from the original film all returned for the sequel, along with Seth Green and Peter Boyle. Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed was even less revered than the first one by critics, sitting at 22% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences also agreed at the time, giving the film a 41% audience score. But, they’re all wrong. If you disliked Monsters Unleashed, guess what? You’re also wrong. Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed make The Godfather Part I and Part II look like student films.
James Gunn’s ‘Scooby-Doo’ Has Gained a Cult Following
The die-hard fandom for the Scooby-Doo films you just read doesn’t just come from this writer, as the original Scooby-Doo movies have amassed a small cult following over the past few years. This new fandom was born from a few factors. Firstly, there was Matthew Lillard’s perfect casting as Shaggy, a role he is still synonymous with to this day. There is also a Mystery Machine’s worth of nostalgia in the original two movies, including countless callbacks to the classic animated shows, and beloved gothic historical tales.
Related
James Gunn Shares Disappointing Truth About the R-Rated Cut of a 2002 Family Movie He Wrote
Gunn has been responsible for writing many movies. One of those almost turned a beloved cartoon R-rated, but fans will never see it.
Secondly, and most importantly, memes played a massive part in cementing Scooby-Doo‘s place in pop culture. The popular DJ Fred Again even got his name from the first movie. Many scenes from the films have been memed online, but the most famous clip comes from a press junket for the original film. While the entire cast lauds the legacy of Scooby-Doo, proclaiming it as “ahead of its time,” Freddie Prinze Jr. called a spade a spade, saying “it was a talking dog.”
Source link
Add Comment