James Gunn’s R-Rated SCOOBY-DOO Was “Very Funny,” Says Matthew Lillard, But Parents Shut It Down
There’s an alternate universe out there where the original live-action Scooby-Doo movie leaned harder into adult humor, and honestly, it sounds like it would’ve been awesome.
According to Matthew Lillard, who played Shaggy in the 2002 live-action movie, James Gunn actually wrote an R-rated version of the film before it was toned down for families. The catch? Parents weren’t into it.
Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Lillard opened up about Gunn’s original script for Scooby-Doo, which was directed by Raja Gosnell and hit theaters in 2002. While the movie we got was family-friendly with some cheeky jokes sprinkled in, Gunn initially had something edgier in mind.
Lillard explained, "I'm a product of a lot of those jokes. Can you make that parents like and can catch a joke or two above the kids' heads? That's a James Gunn specialty...
“Frankly, it was very funny and I do think that that movie would've been a huge hit as well. But when they tested it, some of the parents were like, "Hm, I don't know if we need that level of joke.""
It’s not hard to imagine Gunn, the filmmaker who would go on to helm Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad, pushing the envelope a bit.
The theatrical cut of Scooby-Doo still had some sly humor, but clearly the original version went further. Studio test screenings ultimately steered the movie into safer territory after parents voiced concerns about how far the jokes went.
The film followed Scooby and the Mystery Inc. gang as they reunited to investigate spooky happenings at a horror-themed tropical island resort. Lillard starred as Shaggy alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar as Daphne, Linda Cardellini as Velma, and Freddie Prinze Jr. as Fred.
It wasn’t exactly a critic’s darling, sitting at 32% on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences showed up. The movie pulled in $275 million worldwide and even scored a sequel with 2004’s Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.
Over the years, that first live-action adaptation has built up a loyal fanbase. For many millennials, it was their gateway into light horror comedy, and that’s something Lillard clearly takes seriously.
When asked about Netflix’s upcoming Scooby-Doo series, which has cast his Scream 7 co-star McKenna Grace as a member of Mystery Inc., Lillard gave a thoughtful answer about what the franchise means to younger viewers.
"It's not about you, it's about the part. It's not about you, it's about the franchise. It's not about you, it's about those kids that are introduced to their first look at horror movies.
"When they're sitting there as young people, they're experiencing these things for the first time. So your job is to be the best possible version of that character."
It’s a cool reminder that while fans might dream about an R-rated Mystery Inc. adventure, Scooby-Doo has always been a first step into spooky storytelling for kids. Maybe Gunn’s adult-leaning cut would’ve crushed at the box office. Maybe it would’ve shocked a few parents out of the theater.
Either way, now we know that could’ve been a version of Scooby-Doo that was apparently “very funny” and just a little too much for mom and dad.