SCOOBY-DOO 3
WARNER PREMIERE and CARTOON NETWORK TO RELEASE ALL-NEW
SCOOBY-DOO LIVE-ACTION PREQUEL IN 2009
Principal Photography Begins Aug. 4 in Canada on
Live-Action/CG Original Movie
BURBANK, CA – August 1, 2008 – Cartoon Network and
Warner Premiere have announced the start of production
on Scooby-Doo: In The Beginning, an all-new, live-action
prequel that will be debut on the network Fall, 2009 to
coincide with the DVD release. This original movie will
commence principal photography on August 4, 2008 in
Vancouver, BC, it was announced today by Diane Nelson,
President, Warner Premiere and Rob Sorcher, Chief
Content Officer, Cartoon Network.
"Scooby-Doo has enchanted generations of audiences for
nearly 40 years and, as evidenced by box office, DVD
sales and television ratings, the franchise today is
stronger than ever," said Nelson. "We're delighted to
extend the Scooby-Doo legacy into another live-action
film, and bring these beloved characters to an even
greater legion of fans in an all-new original movie."
"This contemporary take on "Scooby Doo" will be an
exciting movie event on Cartoon Network," said Sorcher.
"This project is also an anchor component of our new
push into movies, our great partnership with Warner
Premiere and the overall expansion of Cartoon Network
programming efforts."
Scooby-Doo: In The Beginning is set prior to the 2002 &
2004 live-action Scooby-Doo films. The newest entry in
the popular franchise finds the Mystery Inc. gang, a
mismatched quartet of unlikely teenage pals, uniting for
the first time to solve the haunting of their high
school. The film is a co-production between Warner
Premiere and Cartoon Network. Warner Home Video will be
the home entertainment distributor.
Director Brian Levant takes the helm of Scooby-Doo: In
The Beginning, which is being produced by Brian Gilbert
(The Deaths of Ian Stone) and penned by the Altiere
Brothers (Doctor Dolittle, Goin' Hollywood). A
writer-director who began his career scripting episodes
of Mork & Mindy and Happy Days, Levant has significant
experience in the live-action/CG arena with both canines
and Hanna-Barbara properties. Levant directed the
popular dog-starring films Beethoven and Snow Dogs, and
was behind the camera for the Hanna-Barbera
cartoon-brought-to-life versions of The Flintstones and
The Flintstones in Viva Las Vegas. Levant also directed
the recent Ice Cube hit Are We There Yet and the Arnold
Schwarzenegger holiday vehicle Jingle All The Way.
The live-action cast is headed by Rob Amell (Life With
Derek, Cheaper By The Dozen 2) as Freddy along with
relative newcomers Kaitlyn Melton as Daphne, Hayley
Alcroft as Velma and Nick Palatas as Shaggy.
Scooby-Doo will appear via computer-generated animation
(courtesy of Animation Picture Company), and his voice
will be provided by Frank Welker. Welker was a core
member of the original Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? cast
as the voice of Freddy. He has preformed voiceover work
in more than 500 animated television series spanning
thousands of episodes, and is regarded as the preeminent
voiceover specialist for animals and obscure sounds in
Hollywood.
An animated creation from the legendary Hanna-Barbara
studios, Scooby-Doo represents one of the
longest-running, most-beloved franchises in cartoon
history. Starting with Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? in
1969, the awkward, snack-craving Great Dane and his four
unique pals have been solving mysteries through 10
televisions series (spanning nearly 300 episodes), seven
TV specials/telefilms and 11 made-for-video films (with
No. 12, Scooby-Doo and the Goblin King, arriving in
September 2008).
The animated Mystery Inc. gang successfully transitioned
to live-action movies with Scooby-Doo (2002) and Scooby-Doo
2: Monsters Unleashed, together raking in nearly $458
million in combined worldwide gross box office totals.
In 2003, Video Business Magazine presented its
distinguished Franchise Award to Scooby-Doo for both its
live-action and animation achievements. |
