Scoob! was released in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, earning a mere $28.5 million on a $90 million budget due to the fact it debuted in theaters and on Max simultaneously (a decision which doomed many blockbusters during that period).
The movie received decent reviews and was supposed to be followed by a sequel titled Scoob! Holiday Haunt. However, like Batgirl, it was scrapped by Warner Bros. Discovery as a tax write-off. That allowed the studio to recoup a chunk of its production costs but means the world will never get to see the completed animated sequel despite the fact it was completed.
Co-director Michael Kurinsky has previously revealed, "The plot was basically Scooby-Doo’s first Christmas. The gang takes Scooby up to this [holiday themed resort] that Fred’s uncle owns. And of course, just like every other Scooby-Doo episode, they go up to a place, a mystery presents itself and the gang now gets involved in the mystery. And we’re off!"
In the wake of Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Andre Braugher's recent death following a battle with lung cancer, Scoob! Holiday Haunt writer and producer Tony Cervone has confirmed the late actor had lent his voice to a character called Chef Dave. He also shared a first look at him, suggesting the creative team was able to at least take some screenshots before the studio hid the movie away in its archives.
"Andre Braugher played our beloved Chef Dave in 'Scoob! Holiday Haunt,'" Cervone says (via Toonado.com). "When we met he asked us to tell him a little bit about our movie and ourselves. After ten minutes he said, 'I’ve always had a soft spot for Scooby-Doo, I’m in.' We were so happy he was."
"He was an extremely talented, kind, funny gentleman who performed his role as a cartoon chef with the same dignity he would Shakespeare. We were lucky to spend time with him. I am truly sorry his work went the way of a tax write off."
Warner Bros. Discovery and CEO David Zaslav continue to come under fire for making decisions like these, with the latter criticised for suggesting the studio was "brave" to scrap these completed movies.
Like Batgirl, it's unlikely that Scoob! Holiday Haunt will see the light of day. Stranger things have happened in Hollywood, of course, though it would likely require Zaslav to be ousted from the studio as it's highly unlikely he'll change his mind about these shelved movies.
Scoob! reveals how lifelong friends Scooby and Shaggy first met and how they joined with young detectives Fred, Velma and Daphne to form the famous Mystery Inc. Now, with hundreds of cases solved and adventures shared, Scooby and the gang face their biggest, most challenging mystery ever: a plot to unleash the ghost dog Cerberus upon the world. As they race to stop this global "dogpocalypse," the gang discovers that Scooby has a secret legacy and an epic destiny greater than anyone imagined.