James Gunn is one of the most influential writer-directors in modern superhero cinema, but years before he touched the MCU and DCU, he helped bring another franchise to the screen. In the early 2000s, Gunn penned the script for an adaptation of an iconic cartoon, and fans can now revisit the director’s earliest franchise work after the movies joined Tubi in December.
Both the live-action Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo: Monsters Unleashed started streaming on Tubi on December 1st. The two films marked Gunn’s first major franchise involvement, with the famed director penning the scripts for the movies, which were both directed by Raja Gosnell and based on the animated franchise Scooby-Doo. The films star Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, and Linda Cardellini as the iconic Mystery, Inc. sleuths, with Neil Fanning providing the voice of Scooby-Doo, as they solve a mystery at a horror-themed tropical island resort and, in the sequel, save a town from from an attack of their past monsters.
Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo: Monsters Unleashed Are Live-Action Movies Done Right
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Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo: Monsters Unleashed are near-perfect adaptations. Both films managed to capture the spirit of the original cartoon with an incredible cast of actors who perfectly embodied their roles and brought the beloved characters and their quirks to life and a fun, thought-out mystery that keeps viewers guessing up until the final moment with plenty of clues and red herrings sprinkled throughout the movie. Gunn’s writing and Gosnell’s direction nailed the quirky, mystery-solving energy of the cartoons while also bringing plenty of heart and humor to the story.
Unfortunately, Gunn’s early foray into the movie world was far from a success. The original movie was a commercial success with a $275 million gross haul against an $84 million budget, but it fell flat with critics and audiences. The film debuted mostly to negative reviews, earning just a 32% critic score and 41% audience rating on Rotten Tomaotes. Its sequel didn’t do any better, underperforming at the box office with a $181 million worldwide gross and only earning a 22% critic score and 42% audience rating.
While the two movies have garnered significant cult followings in the two decades since their release and are now more widely appreciated for their nostalgic, campy appeal, the underperformance of the sequel squashed plans for a third live-action Scooby-Doo movie. Warner Bros. almost immediately canceled the planned Scooby-Doo 3, and the idea hasn’t been revisited since.
Other Family Movies Now on Tubi
Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo: Monsters Unleashed are just two of the kid-friendly movies newly streaming on Tubi following a wave of fresh additions on December 1st. Other films like The Angry Birds Movie, Little Rascals, The Secret Life Of Pets 2, and both Stuart Little and its sequel Stuart Little 2 are now also streaming for free on Tubi and are perfect options for family movie night.
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