The 14 Best Scooby-Doo Movies, Ranked
Hard as it is to believe, there have been 37 direct-to-video "Scooby-Doo" animated movies. This, of course, is not counting the live-action adaptations and several television specials and premieres. That's a lot of everyone's favorite scrappy, investigative dog. "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!" premiered in 1969, when writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears developed the series for Hanna-Barbera Productions, the studio behind hits such as "The Flintstones," "The Jetsons," and "Josey and the Pussycats" (a personal favorite). The original series aired for two seasons, though the franchise has a storied history, spanning 14 different iterations, including the recent "Velma" for HBO.
"Scooby-Doo" has been an astronomical success — a mainstay of animated pop culture aficionados and casual fans alike. With so much material, it can be hard for newer fans to acclimate themselves to the long-running property. Which series should someone start with? Are the live-action adaptations any good? We'll be taking a look at the 14 best "Scooby-Doo" movies of all time.
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004)
While Raja Gosnell's 2002 live-action feature "Scooby-Doo" was an unqualified success, grossing $275 million worldwide, the same can't be said for "Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed," a hackneyed follow-up that finished its box office run with a just $181 million. Writer James Gunn's unique brand of humor and heart, a boon to the 2002 original, was constrained by an excess of characters and plot. Sequels often go for more, more, more, though here, it would likely have been best to narrow the focus to what worked best in the original — the cast.
That cast elevates "Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed" high enough to warrant a watch. Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Linda Cardellini, and Matthew Lillard, playing Fred, Daphne, Velma, and Shaggy, respectively, are at the top of their game. Truthfully, they're among the most inspired bits of casting ever, with each gamely leaning into their characters' distinct traits and foibles. The shift into more supernatural mayhem doesn't do "Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed" any favors, but as a relic of its time, it's easy to appreciate a big-budget family movie that simply tries to have fun, even if that fun is often incomprehensibly frenetic.
Scooby-Doo! and the Loch Ness Monster (2004)
By the time "Scooby-Doo! and the Loch Ness Monster" released, there had already been six direct-to-video "Scooby-Doo" movies, averaging one a year. That might not seem like a lot, but after the release of "Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase" in 2001, the series stalled. Familiarity plagued the next several years of releases. While "Scooby-Doo! and the Loch Ness Monster" is fun in spurts, convention dulls its most exciting prospects.
As in the features that came before, Mystery Inc. is whisked away to an exotic locale — Scotland — to unravel a mystery plaguing the locals, some of whom have personal connections to the core cast. Daphne's Scottish ancestors are set on proving the existence of the Loch Ness Monster with the gang's help, inciting the expected whodunnit elements with broad slapstick. Where "Scooby-Doo! and the Loch Ness Monster" elevates itself is in a poignant final note suggesting that not every mystery needs to be solved. It's a break from "Scooby-Doo" convention that cultivates more pathos than the series had seen in some time.
Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo! Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog (2021)
There's a common criticism lobbed against parody movies like "Scary Movie" and even self-aware animated sitcoms like "Family Guy": IP as content. Even "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" regresses to this new style of IP entertainment. Rather than focusing on narrative, this media prioritizes identification and recognition. Broadly, the idea is that recognizing something is itself content. Absent a narrative, jokes are reduced to the passing amusement of saying, "That's a thing I know." "Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo! Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog" is pure recognition. Whatever thrust it has is firmly on account of the merging of two familiar, fondly remembered properties. It never does anything distinct with the crossover. There's no telling whether it's symptomatic of larger audience trends, but fortunately for "Straight Outta Nowhere," it doesn't matter. That recognition is enough to warrant watching it.
While the movie yields no staying power, there's no denying the efficacy of horror-tinged nostalgia bait. The gang ends up in Nowhere, Kansas, crossing paths with everyone's favorite cowardly dog. The Cicada Queen menace is a low bar for both properties, barely registering as a noteworthy antagonist, but the novelty of pairing these two genre dogs supplements the more lackluster beats. It's not a classic outing for either property, but the sheer moxie of this crossover is worth checking out.
Scooby-Doo! Camp Scare (2010)
"Scooby-Doo! Camp Scare" is the 15th animated "Scooby-Doo" film. By this point, the animation has changed styles. It's a little bit cleaner and brighter, with what looks like dynamic character frames digitally imposed over vibrant yet static backgrounds. The animation is still gorgeous, but it lacks the comic book aesthetic of earlier releases like "Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island." Plot compensates for character. While the inciting incident of the gang returning to work at Fred's old summer camp is, well, fine, it's the homage to "Friday the 13th" that sets it apart.
"Scooby-Doo" is arguably one of the most popular and effective pieces of gateway horror media for children and families. It has all the bells and whistles of the genre, though they're packaged in a colorful, accessible way. The antagonist "Woodsman" isn't going to cause nightmares among the little ones, though older fans will appreciate the "Camp Crystal Lake" nods and winks toward more mature classic horror titles. All in all, it's still a fairly conventional "Scooby-Doo" mystery, but the lovingly crafted ode to horror's summer camp history sets it apart.
Scoob (2020)
Before "Velma," there was "Scoob!" Fans everywhere would do well to remember that new media hasn't yet replaced legacy titles. That is, "Scoob!" didn't somehow render the original series inaccessible. Yet, fans and even voice actor (and live-action Shaggy) Matthew Lillard were upset with the reboot. Ire ran the gamut from the film's casting to its mere existence. Why did "Scooby-Doo" need a reboot? Overall, the controversy was unfounded. "Scoob!" isn't just fine. It's fun. It's not a classic by any stretch, but it is a cute, moderately amusing reintroduction to old friends.
Despite a nifty new CG animation style and a stacked voice cast, "Scoob!," to its detriment, went full MCU. This is a bonafide Hanna-Barbera shared universe, with familiar faces aplenty as the gang faces their newest and perhaps most dangerous threat yet. At times, it threatens the standalone nature of the film, but the humor does a lot to compensate. It can feel very frenetic and unwieldy, but it's also very funny and charming. It's not a perfect reboot, but it's far from the disaster it easily could have been.
Scooby-Doo! Return to Zombie Island (2019)
"Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island" is a classic. "Scooby-Doo! Return to Zombie Island," released more than 20 years after the original, reanimates the dead for a nostalgic return to what many consider the greatest "Scooby-Doo" movie ever made. And, as expected, fans were not happy. With a grim 31% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes (not the greatest metric, but a starting point nonetheless), it's clear audiences weren't thrilled with Warner Brothers' attempts at exploiting their nostalgia for an undead retread. In truth, however, "Scooby-Doo! Return to Zombie Island" isn't as bad as it seems. If anything, it's a worthy successor. Not all of it works, but "Zombie Island" is still "Zombie Island."
The gang ventures to the Moonstar Island Resort, a locale that immediately reminds them of their terrifying supernatural exploits on Moonscar Island. Treading the ground of the original, there are zombies, cat creatures, and more meta-twists than audiences can shake a Scooby snack at. It's endearingly crafted and nicely animated, paying homage to the original while carving out an undead niche of its own. Plus, it's got an Elvira cameo. What more could you ask for?
Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico (2003)
"Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico" might well be the moment the animated "Scooby-Doo" movies started to slip. It's a remarkable piece of animation, no doubt, a fun and engaging mystery with some noteworthy cultural specificity at its core. Additionally, it's the final film to reunite the original series' voice cast, a poignant note for "Scooby" fans everywhere. Yet, with five strong prior entries, it was becoming increasingly clear that "Scooby-Doo" was running out of things to say.
Par for the course, the gang is invited to Veracruz, Mexico, by an old friend. Unbeknownst to them, a monster dubbed "El Chupacabra" by the town's residents has been terrorizing the locals. Of course, it will be up to the gang to solve the mystery and assuage the residents' fears. Adapting more of a mystic, folksy tone than earlier and later entries, "Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico" is easy to recommend because it sets itself apart, even if it signals the slow and steady decline of the increasingly crowded family of "Scooby-Doo" movies.
Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School (1988)
"Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School" is a horror homage at its finest. Released in 1988, one year after the first-ever "Scooby-Doo" animated film, "Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo Brothers," "Ghoul School" sees Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, and Scrappy-Doo taking jobs as gym teachers at a school for monsters. Think "Monster High," just more '80s. The classic Universal Monsters have children, and they're all enrolled. There's the Frankenstein Monster's daughter, Elsa Frankenteen; the Wolfman's daughter, Winnie; and several others.
Initially scared, the trio acclimates to their monstrous new gig, only for the witch Revolta to throw a wrench in their plans. She intends to kidnap the girls, and naturally, Scooby and company must save them. While IP matters more than plot here, it's a fun change of pace for the series that splits the gang up for some inconsequential Halloween fun. It's rendered with care and respect for the source material, doing what the series does best — introducing young audiences to classic horror icons.
Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders (2000)
"Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders" is sort of the black sheep of the early "Scooby-Doo" movies. It's not bad by any measure, though it struggles to retain an identity on account of the movies adjacent to it, "Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost" and "Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase." It's a shame. While "Alien Invaders" doesn't do much with the B-movie science fiction template it's aping, it's plenty poignant, reaching toward observations more profound than "let's solve a mystery."
The gang runs afoul of some aliens after Shaggy crashes the Mystery Machine in the desert. As always, it's up to them to get to the bottom of the extraterrestrial mystery before things get too out of hand. Questions of identity, home, and belonging abound, adding some thematic heft to the conventional zany chases and confrontations. It's not theater, but it's close. Where the horror fails, the heart makes up for it.
Scooby-Doo! and the Legend of the Vampire (2003)
This time, the gang is in Australia, where they reunite with the Hex Girls, only to have their plans derailed when rumors of a roving band of vampires make it back to them.
Released the same year as "Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico," "Scooby-Doo! and the Legend of the Vampire" is the final in the quartet of classic, early aughts "Doo." Alongside "Zombie Island," "The Witch's Ghost," and "Cyber Chase," "Scooby-Doo! and the Legend of the Vampire" is a tender, frequently funny homage to vampire lore and the sundry literary classics that have solidified the monster as the blood-sucking pop culture behemoth it remains to this day.
Notably, the animation style is considerably brighter than the preceding four entries, adopting a look more in line with "What's New, Scooby-Doo?" the rebooted series that premiered in 2002. The tone is also considerably lighter, and unlike those movies that came before, the series was back in "the-monster-isn't-real" territory. Still, it's as good a piece of gateway horror as those more classic entries, often feeling akin to "John Carpenter's Vampires," but made for kids.
Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase (2001)
"Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase" was a return to form after the (mild) dip of "Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders." "Alien Invaders" wasn't a bad entry by any stretch, and following "Zombie Island" and "Witch's Ghost" would be difficult for anyone, though. "Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase" was the spark the series needed. The gang must contend with a vicious computer virus, dubbed the Phantom Virus, after it's inadvertently unleashed. In their efforts to put an end to the digital menace, the gang is transported into the world of a video game. Their only chance of escape is beating every level.
While not as lighthearted as "Scooby-Doo! and the Legend of the Vampire," "Cyber Chase" starts to stray away from the gothic feel of the preceding entries. It's still fitfully frightening for younger audiences. That Phantom Virus is a menace. However, "Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase" never gets quite as scary as those that came before. It supplements with oodles of creativity, a solid supernatural bent, and plenty of Y2K nostalgia as the gang rattles off antiquated computer lingo. This was the zeitgeist in 2001, and it was glorious.
Scooby-Doo (2002)
Although "Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed" struggled to carve out a niche of its own, the same can't be said for Gosnell and Gunn's first collaboration, 2002's "Scooby-Doo." Like Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan's "Josie and the Pussycats," this was Hanna-Barbera revived for an adult audience that remained accessible and fun for the kiddos. Abounding with innuendo, meta-commentary, and Sugar Ray (always a treat), "Scooby-Doo" is a millennial touchstone, rivaling "The Mummy" as the late '90s, early aughts blockbuster audiences can't get enough of.
Mystery Inc. is invited to Spooky Island, a tropical resort where tourists are allegedly being cursed. A prologue details how, two years prior, the gang split up, and they're none too happy to be thrust together again, even if it does mean a free stay in paradise. As with "Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed," the cast carries the movie. Some of the jokes are duds, and for all but the most naïve of viewers, every twist can be spotted a mile away. It matters for naught, however, when the decades' favorite players are having this much fun. It's an endearing ode to an animated classic. As Disney continues to update their animated playbook with live-action adaptations, it might consider assessing what Warner Bros. did here. It's rarely been done better.
Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost (1999)
Second only to "Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island," "Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost" is a terrifying, punk foray into the "Scooby-Doo" series at its best. Released just a year after "Zombie Island," it's incredible that, in almost every way, "Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost" matches "Zombie Island's" divine blend of whodunnit mystery and genuine gothic terror. Of course, the movie is aided by several pop culture perennials, including voice work from Tim Curry and the introduction of the Hex Girls, an all-female rock band. Tweet about them, and you'll see how important they are.
The gang is invited to Oakhaven, Massachusetts, to investigate the legend of Sarah Ravencroft, a spirit and alleged witch still haunting the area. As in "Zombie Island," the series is still firmly in the territory of real threats. While there are plenty of unmaskings, the witch and her ghost are real, adding depth and new directions for the gang as they endeavor to thwart a sinister plot. It's frightening, funny, and grunge as heck. "Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost" is as pitch-perfect a piece of gateway horror as anything.
Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998)
"Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island" is millennial gospel. It's a religion. There isn't a horror fan, old or new, that won't defend this movie with their life. And why shouldn't they? As the first of the revived "Scooby-Doo" animated features in 1998, it's the movie that started the craze, no doubt accounting for renewed interest in both the original series and the impetus for future live-action adaptations. "Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island," unlike some later entries in the series, took its audience seriously. Jim Stenstrum's feature adopts the series' unique visual style while simultaneously adding plenty of gothic flair. It's both a sensational "Scooby-Doo" mystery and an appropriately frightening horror movie bundled into one.
A healthy dollop of meta-commentary has the Scooby gang tired of tracking down and apprehending goons in costumes. Decades on, the appeal simply isn't there, and they're collectively desperate for a real mystery with real stakes. The proprietors of Moonscar Island think they have the solution, alleging a real haunting on the property that they'd like Mystery Inc. to investigate. It's arguably the greatest franchise movie of all time, and nothing the series has done since has topped its expert blend of terror and meta-humor.