Netflix’s Scooby-Doo: Origins Wraps Production and Reveals First Look at Real Live-Action Dog

Cast and Production Details for Scooby-Doo: Origins

Production for Scooby-Doo: Origins is currently underway in Atlanta, Georgia, with a scheduled series launch on Netflix in 2027. Mckenna Grace stars as Daphne Blake, Tanner Hagen takes on the role of Shaggy Rogers, Abby Ryder Fortson plays Velma Dinkley, and Maxwell Jenkins steps in as Fred Jones.

The official synopsis released by Netflix outlines the plot of the series: “During their final summer at camp, old friends Shaggy and Daphne get embroiled in a haunting mystery surrounding a lonely lost Great Dane puppy that may have been a witness to a supernatural murder.” The description adds that the group joins forces with “the pragmatic and scientific townie, Velma, and the strange, but ever so handsome new kid, Freddy, they set out to solve the case that is pulling each of them into a creepy nightmare that threatens to expose all of their secrets.”

Behind the Scenes and Creative Team

Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg serve as executive producers and showrunners for the series. Additional executive producers include Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Leigh London Redman via Berlanti Productions under its overall deal with Warner Bros. Television. André Nemec, Jeff Pinkner, and Adrienne Erickson serve as executive producers via Midnight Radio, alongside Toby Haynes, who acts as an executive producer and directs the series premiere episode.

Live-Action Dog Design and Breed Practices

While the classic cartoon version of Scooby-Doo features ears that stand straight up, the real dog cast in the series features longer, floppy ears that hang naturally by the sides of its face. According to Great Dane Care, this physical trait is completely natural for the breed, noting that Great Danes are one of several dog breeds—alongside Dobermans and Pitbulls—whose ears are frequently subjected to surgical cropping by veterinarians so they stand erect.

Tracing the historical context of the practice, Great Dane Care states that ear cropping is an ancient technique first documented in Great Danes when hunters used the dogs to track wild boar in Europe. Proponents of the historic practice historically claimed it prevented health issues such as ear infections, though modern veterinary studies do not support that claim. The ethics surrounding the procedure remain heavily debated, with many veterinarians and animal welfare advocates arguing that ear cropping lacks medical justification and subjects animals to unnecessary pain primarily for human preference or tradition.