‘Scooby-Doo: Origins’ Just Added André 3000 and Cathy Moriarty to Its Growing Ensemble
More than half a century after Hanna-Barbera first introduced the world to a talking Great Dane and his mystery-solving friends, ‘Scooby-Doo‘ is still finding new ways to reinvent itself. The franchise has spanned animated series, theatrical films, and countless spinoffs, but Netflix’s upcoming live-action take is positioning itself as something different: an origin story.
Titled ‘Scooby-Doo: Origins,’ the series has been steadily building out its cast since production kicked off earlier this year in Atlanta, and the ensemble keeps growing more intriguing by the week. With a 2027 premiere already locked in, fans have been closely tracking every new casting announcement for clues about what this reimagined Mystery Inc. will actually look like.
The latest additions just raised plenty of eyebrows. André “3000” Benjamin and Cathy Moriarty have both joined the series in recurring roles, with their specific characters being kept deliberately under wraps for now.
Benjamin’s involvement carries some extra significance for longtime fans of the franchise. Decades ago, he and Big Boi’s OutKast, alongside fellow Dungeon Family members Killer Mike and Sleepy Brown, contributed the song “Land of a Million Drums” to the soundtrack of the 2002 ‘Scooby-Doo’ movie, which went on to chart in the U.K. Now, more than 20 years later, he’s stepping directly into the franchise as a performer rather than a musician behind the scenes.
Benjamin brings acting credits including ‘High Life’ and ‘Jimi: All Is by My Side’ to the role. Moriarty, meanwhile, arrives with an even longer résumé, having earned an Academy Award nomination for her performance as Vickie LaMotta in Martin Scorsese’s ‘Raging Bull.’ Her other film credits include ‘Kindergarten Cop,’ ‘Casper,’ ‘But I’m a Cheerleader,’ and ‘Patti Cake$,’ along with recent television work on ‘Elsbeth,’ ‘Will Trent,’ and ‘City on a Hill.’
Unlike previous adaptations that dropped viewers straight into the gang already cruising around in the Mystery Machine, ‘Scooby-Doo: Origins’ is built around how Mystery Inc. first came together. The official logline follows Shaggy and Daphne during their final summer at camp, where they stumble into a mystery involving a lonely, lost Great Dane puppy who may have witnessed a supernatural murder.
That investigation eventually pulls in Velma, described as a pragmatic and scientifically minded local, along with Fred, the strange but handsome new kid in town. Together, the four teens find themselves dragged into a much larger, creepier nightmare that threatens to expose secrets each of them is trying to keep hidden.
Benjamin and Moriarty join a lead cast that includes Mckenna Grace as Daphne Blake, Tanner Hagen as Shaggy, Abby Ryder Fortson as Velma, and Maxwell Jenkins as Fred. The wider ensemble also features Paul Walter Hauser, Sara Gilbert, Bruce McGill, Sherilyn Fenn, and a lengthy list of additional supporting players rounding out the world of the series.
The show comes from writers and showrunners Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg under their Midnight Radio banner, with Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Leigh London Redman executive producing through Berlanti Productions. Toby Haynes is set to direct and executive produce the series’ first episode, giving the project a clear visual foundation as filming continues.
With casting news breaking in exclusive fashion through Deadline and character details for both new additions still under wraps, speculation over exactly who Benjamin and Moriarty will play is only going to intensify as production moves forward.
Who do you think André 3000 and Cathy Moriarty will play in Scooby-Doo: Origins?
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!
