James Gunn posted a throwback photo from 2004 of himself with the cast of Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed on Instagram. In recent years, Gunn has really carved a name out for himself as an elite director in Hollywood. Gunn has made himself a household name with the success of his Marvel and DC superhero projects from the last few years, including both Guardians of the Galaxy films, The Suicide Squad, and the hit show Peacemaker. However, before he was known as a director, Gunn was quite a successful film writer. Gunn has been writing screenplays since 1996 and has had some major successes, including 2004’s Dawn of the Dead and both live-action Scooby-Doo films.
Both live-action Scooby-Doo films were box office hits when they came out in the early 2000’s and have since become cult classics. The films star Freddie Prinze Jr. as Fred, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Daphne, Matthew Lillard as Shaggy, and Linda Cardellini as Velma to make up the gang of Mystery Inc. who must solve supernatural mysteries alongside their talking dog Scooby-Doo. Gunn masterfully wrote both Scooby-D00 family films so that they would be a fun ride for kids who watched the classic cartoon counterpart but contain enough sly adult humor for the parents to also enjoy.
Gunn took to Instagram to celebrate the 18-year anniversary of Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed by posting a photo from 2004 featuring him and some of the cast. In the photo, Gunn stands alongside Cardellini, Lillard, Gellar, and Seth Green, who played Patrick Wisely, a love interest for Cardellini’s Velma. Gunn writes about how the filming of Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed was the most fun he’d ever had on a project. Additionally, Gunn attributes his ability to start directing to the success of this film and Dawn of the Dead. Both films opening at #1 made him the first-ever screenwriter to have two films open at #1 in back-to-back weeks. Check out the Instagram post below.
Click here to view the post on Instagram
Since Gunn’s live-action Scooby-Doo films, Warner Bros. has tried to relaunch the Scooby-Doo film franchise with 2020’s Scoob!, but the film was critically panned and failed to even make back a third of its budget in the box office. Gunn recently revealed in a Q&A on Twitter that there were originally plans for him to both write and direct a third installment in the Scooby-Doo live-action franchise. Mystery Inc. was meant to travel to Scotland for a mystery where it’s revealed “the monsters are actually the victims & Scooby & Shaggy have to come to terms with their own prejudices & narrow belief systems.” Unfortunately, the plans were canceled, and it’s unlikely fans will ever receive the franchise's third installment despite nearly two decades of pleading for it.
Both Scooby-Doo films are beloved by fans to this day, nearly twenty years later. Gunn didn’t only set himself on a great path with these films but also some of the actors involved. Lillard would famously become the voice of Shaggy in most animated Scooby-Doo projects and Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar got engaged during the filming of the Scooby-Doo. While Gunn is celebrating Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed’s 18th anniversary by posting a throwback photo alongside these celebrated actors, fans can celebrate this anniversary or the first film's upcoming 20 year anniversary this summer by watching both films, which are available to stream with an HBO Max subscription.
Source: James Gunn/Instagram