By Jex Mecham
Ask nearly any college student what they grew up watching, and their list will include Scooby-Doo in some way shape or form. Whether in live action movie or cartoon, they will have seen some sort of Scooby-Doo related media. Firing up the television on Saturday mornings, turning on Boomerang or Cartoon Network and watching the teenage sleuths catch criminals is a core memory for many. The great thing about Scooby-Doo is that there are so many different cartoon iterations of the character, and those who have watched them have an affinity for a certain version. Maybe their parents grew up watching Scooby-Doo, Where are You! so that version is their top choice, or they like the theme music of What’s New Scooby-Doo? (my personal favorite), or even the spookier, less goofy vibes of Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated. In any case, there is an abundance of cartoon iterations of the beloved mystery-solving mutt, and a difficulty in successfully ranking them. However, in terms of live action films, there are only 5 options from which to choose, and a clear delineation in quality. So, without further aDoo, here is the definitive Scooby-Doo Movie Ranking:
5. Daphne & Velma (2018)
Coming in dead last (and it would be lower if there were other live action movies to rank) is 2018’s Daphne & Velma. The film only features Daphne and Velma and none of the other members of the Mystery Incorporated gang. I’m not entirely sure if this counts as a Scooby-Doo movie if he is not even in it. Understandably, this ranks last and is a stain on the good name of Mr. Scoobert Doo. No dog, no dice.
4. Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster
In our second-to-last place comes Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster. This movie is the most forgettable in the list of live action Scooby-Doo films. In this movie, the gang takes on summer employment at the country club run by Daphne’s uncle. A lake monster causes a stir and high jinks ensue. I forgot that I had even seen this move until I read about the “monster” on the Wikipedia page. As I said, forgettable and unremarkable, but at least Scooby is actually in it.
3. Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins
Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins is where the quality of the movies starts to see real improvements. As the title implies, Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins tells the story of how the meddling kids meet, and their introduction to the groovy Mystery Machine. Is the acting good? No, and neither are the visual effects, but quality be damned, it’s a decent movie and better than the horrific entries ranked lower on the list.
2. Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
As the 2 is in its name, so is its ranking. Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed is the runner-up in the ranks of Scooby films. Humor, fear, romance — this movie has it all. You can’t help but sit on the edge of your seat, wondering if the gang will defeat numerous old foes, who have resurfaced to take over Coolsville.
- Scooby-Doo (The Movie)
Run from it, fight it, dread it, you knew this was going to be number 1 the moment you started reading. Scooby-Doo (The Movie), is the best and brightest of the live-action films. The humor, suspense, and romance are tenfold the amount of the second movie in the series. Scooby dresses up like a grandma, Fred switches bodies with Daphne, Mr. Bean is in it! What more could you ask for?
What is your favorite Scooby-Doo movie?
The Definitive Scooby-Doo Movie Ranking was originally published in The Herald on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
