Screenshot: HBO Max
The New York Comic Con 2022 panel released the first teaser for the adult HBO Max animated series Velma, which will explore the origins of the smartest member of the Scooby-Doo gang.
Earlier today, dropped the news that Glenn Howerton (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) as Fred, Sam Richardson (Hocus Pocus 2) as Norville (aka Shaggy) and Constance Wu (Hustlers) as Daphne joined the Mystery Inc. to complete . Kaling and showrunner Charlie Grandy will executive produce.
Here’s the HBO Max release trailer unveiled at NYCC 2022, which Mindy Kaling introduced at the con by exclaiming, “It starts with a murder, bitch!”
Velma | Official teaser | HBO Max
io9’s Linda Codega attended the panel and was able to watch the pilot, which follows the characters’ early days before they become legendary gangs. We discover that Velma gets her moment to carry the main character’s great energy, which Kaling refers to as a “fortune teller”: she speaks her mind and also has some kind of fear-induced creepy hallucinations when trying to solve puzzles. She is openly flirting with rich boy Fred – who is kind of an idiot and might also be flirting with Daphne. (Though there’s been no confirmation as to whether or not this version of Velma will be queer, as she is in the just-released Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo Halloween special, we do learn that Daphne has lesbian moms.) The show was pitched as a “love square”. Norville/Shaggy, who has a crush on Velma, is also undergoing a major change: He’s very anti-drugs — but Kaling and co. shared that doesn’t mean it’s going to stay that way. “The character’s move from Straight Edge to Burnout is well deserved,” says Executive Producer Grandy. Unfortunately there will be no Scooby as Warner Bros. hasn’t allowed the use of the beloved mascot as the show’s very adult tone focuses more on raunchy fun and violence.
Official first looks at Fred, Daphne and Norville were also revealed ahead of the panel.
Other cast members include Melissa Fumero, Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, Ken Leung, Russell Peters, Stephen Root, Gary Cole, Cherry Jones, Weird Al Yankovic, Fortune Feimster, Yvonne Orji, Sarayu Blue, Nicole Byer, Ming-Na Wen and Shay Mitchell , Debby Ryan, Kulap Vilaysak, Karl-Anthony Towns and Frank Welker (voice of the original Fred and Scooby) as Fred’s father (whose absolute DILF).
The show’s synopsis, described by HBO Max, reveals, “Velma is an adult animated comedy series that tells the origin story of Velma Dinkley, the unsung and underrated brains of the Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc. gang. An original and humorous twist that unveils the complex and colorful past of one of America’s favorite puzzle solvers.”
Velma is slated to stream on HBO Max in 2023.
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