As of April 24, 2026, Netflix has officially named its live-action Scooby-Doo series Scooby-Doo: Origins, confirmed that production is underway, and released the first image of its young Mystery Inc. lineup. Based on characters created for Hanna-Barbera, the project now has a verified cast, an official synopsis, a premiere director, and one major lingering mystery: who Paul Walter Hauser is actually playing. What it still does not have is an announced release date.
Scooby-Doo: Origins Netflix live-action series full title revealed
Netflix kept the project publicly untitled as recently as March 24, 2026, when its own casting update called it the “untitled Scooby-Doo live-action series.” On April 24, 2026, that changed: the streamer formally unveiled the name Scooby-Doo: Origins in the same announcement revealing that production had begun. In other words, April 24 is the date the full title moved from industry chatter and working-title speculation into official public canon.

Scooby-Doo: Origins cast list (Daphne Shaggy Velma Fred)
Netflix’s publicly confirmed cast currently stands as follows:
- Daphne Blake — McKenna Grace.
- Shaggy Rogers — Tanner Hagen.
- Velma Dinkley — Abby Ryder Fortson.
- Fred Jones — Maxwell Jenkins.
- Additional series regular in a still-secret role — Paul Walter Hauser.
As of the latest official update, those are the only named cast members Netflix has formally put on the record. That matters because the Scooby-Doo franchise often generates fast-moving rumor cycles, and right now the official cast sheet is still intentionally tight.
McKenna Grace as Daphne Blake in Scooby-Doo: Origins
Grace is the most obvious full-circle casting in the lineup. February 2026 trade reporting noted that she had already voiced a younger version of Daphne in Scoob!, and Netflix later confirmed her as the live-action Daphne in the new series. That means her casting does more than add a recognizable young star to the show; it also links one recent Daphne performance to the franchise’s first live-action television continuity.
Tanner Hagen as Shaggy Rogers in Scooby-Doo: Origins
Netflix identified Hagen as Shaggy Rogers and highlighted his work on The Pitt when announcing the cast. In the official synopsis, Shaggy is not a background comic foil but one of the two longtime friends who get pulled into the central mystery first, alongside Daphne. That positioning makes Hagen one of the show’s principal story-entry points, not just part of an ensemble once the case is already moving.
Abby Ryder Fortson as Velma Dinkley in Scooby-Doo: Origins
Fortson’s casting as Velma was confirmed by Netflix in March and reaffirmed in the April 24 production update. The streamer’s casting materials also pointed to her work in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret., while the official synopsis describes Velma as the “pragmatic and scientific townie.” That wording signals that this version of Velma is still being built around intelligence, skepticism, and problem-solving from the outset, rather than being rewritten away from her core function in the group.
Maxwell Jenkins as Fred Jones in Scooby-Doo: Origins
Jenkins is officially playing Fred Jones, with Netflix citing his earlier work in Lost in Space when announcing the cast. One intriguing detail is that the official plot synopsis refers to the newcomer as “Freddy,” while the cast list identifies Jenkins as Fred Jones. The most reasonable reading is that the show is using a younger, more informal version of the familiar name as part of its origin-story framing, with the classic Fred identity still intact.

Paul Walter Hauser Scooby-Doo: Origins role (who is he playing)
The most accurate answer, as of April 24, 2026, is that Netflix still has not said. The streamer announced Hauser as a series regular on March 24 and then repeated one month later that his role remains undisclosed. Some industry-watch reporting has floated the possibility that he could be connected to Scooby’s owner, but that has not been confirmed in Netflix’s own materials, so any more specific claim would overstate what is currently verified.
Scooby-Doo: Origins first cast photo (Netflix first look image)
Netflix’s first official still arrived on April 24, 2026, alongside the production-start announcement. The image shows Tanner Hagen as Shaggy Rogers, Abby Ryder Fortson as Velma Dinkley, McKenna Grace as Daphne Blake, and Maxwell Jenkins as Fred Jones gathered for the start of production, making it the first formal visual introduction to the live-action teen lineup. It is not a teaser poster or concept image; it is the series’ first actual cast photo rollout.
Is Scooby-Doo shown in the Scooby-Doo: Origins first look photo
No. The only currently official image released by Netflix identifies four people in frame—Shaggy, Velma, Daphne, and Fred—and does not list Scooby in the shot. Secondary first-look coverage also emphasized the same absence, though one report noted a paw-print tease in the image, suggesting the dog is being held back for a later reveal rather than removed from the marketing altogether.

Scooby-Doo: Origins plot synopsis (Camp Ruby-Spears mystery explained)
Netflix’s original series-order synopsis set the story during the gang’s final summer at Camp Ruby-Spears, where old friends Shaggy and Daphne get pulled into a haunting mystery and team up with Velma and Freddy. The camp name appears to be a deliberate nod to Joe Ruby and Ken Spears, the writers who created Scooby-Doo in 1969. That origin framing is the show’s whole selling point: this is not another already-established Mystery Inc. adventure, but the case that brings the group together in the first place.
Scooby-Doo: Origins “lost Great Dane puppy” story details
The “lost Great Dane puppy” is the series’ central narrative trigger. In Netflix’s official synopsis, the puppy may have witnessed a supernatural murder, which means Scooby is being positioned not as a late-arriving mascot but as the catalyst that binds the entire group into one case. The language Netflix uses—“haunting mystery,” “supernatural murder,” and “creepy nightmare”—also suggests a slightly darker, more suspense-driven tone than the lightest Saturday-morning versions of the franchise, though that tonal read is still an inference from the synopsis rather than a final judgment on the finished episodes.
Scooby-Doo: Origins filming location (Atlanta production details)
The only location officially on the record is Atlanta. Netflix says production has begun there, and same-day trade reporting echoed Atlanta as the production base. Local Georgia filming coverage had already identified the new Scooby-Doo series as one of the projects beginning in the state in April 2026, which lines up with the official production-start announcement. What is not official yet is a studio-by-studio breakdown or a publicly confirmed wrap date from Netflix itself.
Who is writing Scooby-Doo: Origins on Netflix (showrunners and creators)
The series is being led by Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg, who serve as showrunners and executive producers. Netflix’s official materials tie them to Midnight Radio, while the broader producing team also includes Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman, Andre Nemec, Jeff Pinkner, and Adrienne Erickson. Earlier official series-order reporting also linked the project to Warner Bros. Television and Berlanti Productions, confirming that the show has been built around the same core creative team from greenlight through production start.
Scooby-Doo: Origins director for episode 1 (who’s directing the premiere)
The premiere episode will be directed by Toby Haynes, who is also serving as an executive producer. Netflix stated that arrangement in both its March 24 casting update and its April 24 production-start article, which means Haynes is the first named episode-level director officially attached to the project. For viewers tracking creative signals, that makes him one of the most important confirmed names behind the camera so far.
Scooby-Doo: Origins release date on Netflix (latest updates and rumors)
As of Friday, April 24, 2026, Netflix has announced no release date and no official premiere window for Scooby-Doo: Origins. The only hard official update is that production has begun in Atlanta. One industry-watch update published this week argued that a 2027 debut looks more realistic than a 2026 launch because production appears to occupy a substantial portion of 2026, but that remains informed speculation rather than guidance issued by Netflix.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is the official title of Netflix’s live-action Scooby-Doo series?
The official title is Scooby-Doo: Origins, and Netflix publicly revealed it on April 24, 2026, when it announced that production had begun. - Is Scooby-Doo: Origins the first live-action Scooby-Doo TV series?
Yes. Official 2025 announcement language and contemporaneous coverage described the project as the franchise’s first live-action television series. - How many episodes has Netflix ordered?
Netflix ordered the project as an eight-episode series when it gave the show a formal green light in March 2025. - Who plays Daphne, Shaggy, Velma, and Fred?
McKenna Grace plays Daphne Blake, Tanner Hagen plays Shaggy Rogers, Abby Ryder Fortson plays Velma Dinkley, and Maxwell Jenkins plays Fred Jones. - Is Scooby in the first official photo?
No. The official cast image released so far only shows the four human leads, not Scooby himself. - What is Camp Ruby-Spears?
It is the summer-camp setting named in Netflix’s official synopsis. The name appears to reference Scooby-Doo creators Joe Ruby and Ken Spears, though Netflix has not separately published an explanation of the homage. - What begins the mystery in Scooby-Doo: Origins?
The story begins with a lonely, lost Great Dane puppy who may have witnessed a supernatural murder, pulling Shaggy, Daphne, Velma, and Fred into the same case. - Has Paul Walter Hauser’s character been revealed?
Not officially. Netflix still describes Hauser’s part as undisclosed, even after confirming him as a series regular. - Who is running the show, and who is directing the pilot?
Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg are the showrunners and executive producers, while Toby Haynes is directing episode 1 and also executive producing. - When is Scooby-Doo: Origins likely to be released?
There is no official release date yet. The most cautious reading is simply “TBA,” although one recent industry-watch update suggests 2027 is a more plausible target than late 2026.

Conclusion
The most important verified takeaway is that Scooby-Doo: Origins is no longer an abstract reboot rumor. It now has an official title, a confirmed young cast, a first-look image, a production start in Atlanta, and a clear origin-story premise centered on Camp Ruby-Spears and a mysteriously significant Great Dane puppy. The biggest unanswered questions are also clearly defined: Scooby has not been visually unveiled in the official first-look photo, Paul Walter Hauser’s role remains secret, and Netflix has not announced when the series will actually premiere.
Sources and Citations
- Netflix Tudum — Paul Walter Hauser casting
https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/scooby-doo-live-action-series-cast - Warner Bros. Discovery Press — March 2025 series order
https://press.wbd.com/us/ca/media-release/warner-bros-television-group/zoinks-warner-bros-televisions-live-action-scooby-doo-series-orderd-series-netflix - Entertainment Weekly — March 2025 live-action series coverage
https://ew.com/scooby-doo-gets-live-action-netflix-series-from-greg-berlanti-11703919 - Variety — Mckenna Grace cast as Daphne
https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/scooby-doo-live-action-netflix-series-cast-mckenna-grace-1236665405/ - Variety — Fred, Shaggy, Velma casting
https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/scooby-doo-live-action-netflix-cast-fred-shaggy-velma-1236690639/ - GamesRadar — first-look / production reporting
https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/live-action-shows/scooby-doo-origins-gets-first-look-from-netflix-as-filming-begins-and-the-kids-are-alright/ - The Futon Critic — Atlanta production start
https://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2026/04/24/scooby-doo-origins-starts-production-in-atlanta-826114/20260424netflix02/
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