Warner Bros. is delaying its Scooby-Doo animated movie “Scooby” for nearly two years to May 15, 2020.
The studio had announced in 2015 that it was in development on “Scooby” with a release date of Sept. 21, 2018.
Variety reported in September that Dax Shepard is in negotiations to direct the movie. Producers are Charles Roven and Richard Suckle, who were producers on the studio’s live-action films “Scooby-Doo” and “Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.” Allison Abbate, who has credits on “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “Corpse Bride,” and “Frankenweenie,” is also producing.
The untitled film is being directed by “Space Jam” helmer Tony Cervone, whose TV credits include Cartoon Network’s “The Looney Tunes Show” and “Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated.” Matt Lieberman (“Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief”) wrote the screenplay, while Dan Povenmire (“Family Guy”) is on board as executive producer.
The new Scooby-Doo feature will be a Warner Bros. Pictures presentation under the Warner Animation Group banner, which has risen to prominence with “The Lego Movie” and “Batman Lego.”
“Scooby” is the first title to be set on May 15, 2020. Variety reported in 2013 that the project was in development. At that point, Roven and Suckle were producing, with Lieberman penning the script.
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The 2002 “Scooby-Doo” mixed live-action actors with the titular Great Dane, which was computer-generated, as did “Scooby-Doo: Monsters Unleashed” two years later. The first film generated $275 million worldwide, while the second earned $180 million.
The original animated TV series “Scooby-Doo: Where Are You?” was created by Hanna-Barbera and first aired in 1969.
Warner Bros. also announced Wednesday that it would move “Godzilla Vs. Kong” forward a week to May 22, 2020, along with a June 29, 2018, release date for its comedy “Tag,” starring Ed Helms, Jeremy Renner, and Hannibal Buress.
