 Thanks to the Amazon France listing for Scooby-Doo! Return to Zombie Island, we now have an official summary of the film. Translating the French description into English, here is what the summary says:
Seeking to leave their investigative career behind them, the Scooby-Doo team leaves for an all-expense paid trip on a mysterious - but strangely familiar - tropical island. Their journey will however take a new turn as soon as they meet the zombies that populate the island. I'm a bit disappointed they're playing the "leave their career behind them" card again from Curse of the 13th Ghost, but nonetheless, it sounds somewhat interesting given how short the description was. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. What are your thoughts on the summary for this film? Let me know in the comments!
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 All of these tiny little news bits are so short that I thought I'd put them in a single post.
So, here is your Scooby news for June 28! Firstly, Cartoon Network will be premiering Guess Who Monday, July 8 at 9:30am with the first episode, "Revenge of the Swamp Monster!" Presumably, new episodes will continue to air every Monday at 9:30am (so episode 2 on July 15, episode 3 on July 22, etc.). I'll let you guys know if for some reason this is different. This is all according to TV Passport. Secondly, Funko has released a glow-in-the-dark Captain Cutler Pop! figure. They are now available in the US for $15. Lastly, Jordan Farrell emailed me and asked me to spread the word about a new hand-drawn fan film he and several friends are making, called "Scooby-Doo! The Backstage Rage". The second trailer is available here for those who are interested in this project. It will be released on September 5, 2019.  I just finished watching the first episode of Guess Who?, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. The episode definitely goes back to the roots of classic Scooby, even down to the retro feel of the background music and sound effects at times.
Chris Paul seemed like a good guest star, and the vibe of this episode sort of reminded me of the Wilt Chamberlain (another basketball player) episode from Goober and the Ghost Chasers. Paul didn't overshadow the gang at all. There were definitely some good bits in there, like the classic Shaggy/Scooby trick the monster gag, the Scooby Dooby Doors sequence among other humorous things such as Chris Paul not being able to get the ball in the hole at the end. I didn't really like the intro though. It felt like too much of a rip-off of the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? theme song (it's even credited as such in the end credits). I don't mind them trying to reference the classic theme song, but I would have preferred something original. Though this was a small criticism, the bit at the end bugged me where the announcer said the cops recovered all the missing people. This was within like a few moments of gang capturing the swamp monster, and some of those people were just captured minutes before. I definitely get that they were trying to wrap things up, but the whole "Everyone captured by the swamp monster was found by the police, somehow within 5 seconds of the culprit being arrested!" felt a bit cringey. It seems like they were trying to cram everything in too quickly at the end. Other than these minor criticisms, I'm really loving the new series and I'm definitely looking forward to next week's episode!  Today, the very first episode of Guess Who, "Revenge of the Swamp Monster" featuring Chris Paul, was released on the Boomerang app for free, even for those who don't have the service (I believe this is just a one-time thing that won't happen again with future episodes).
Additionally, on the show page on the Boomerang streaming service, a whole list of guest star silhouettes and air dates for the first season have been revealed. There are also 15 second clips from each episode posted (available to all, even if you don't have the service). Luckily for us, Boomerang did a pretty bad job in "hinting" at which guest stars will be in which episodes (it's essentially obvious between the videos, descriptions and silhouettes), so here's the entire list of guests that will be in the first season, in order:
Unfortunately, there are a few guest stars that were announced that will be in season 2, instead of season 1. These include Halsey, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Mark Hamill, Neil deGrasse Tyson, The Flash, and Whoopi Goldberg. With only hours left until the premiere episode of Guess Who is released on the Boomerang streaming service, another special sneak preview clip from episode 1 has been released.
Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? will premiere exclusively to the Boomerang streaming service tomorrow, Thursday, June 27. New episodes will be posted every week, and the series will make its television debut on Monday, July 8 on Cartoon Network.  For Scooby's 50th anniversary, WB is releasing another edition of Scooby-Do, Where Are You?: The Complete Series in a limited edition Mystery Mansion box. It will include a free encyclopedia and a free Funko keychain with purchase.
Here's the official press release sent to me by a WB exec. I feel so important being able to say that now haha. JINKIES! SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU!: THE LIMITED EDITION 50TH ANNIVERSARY MYSTERY MANSION RELEASED BY WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT SEPTEMBER 3, 2019 FEATURES ALL EPISODES OF THE ICONIC SCOOBY-DOO WHERE ARE YOU! SERIES ON BLU-RAY™ FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! Four-Disc Collection Includes 41 Episodes Packaged in a Limited Edition Collectible Mystery Mansion Giftset that Features Enhanced Content Plus Unique Memorabilia Including an Exclusive Scooby-Doo Funko Keychain and A Mini Scooby-DooEncyclopedia! BURBANK, CA (June 25, 2019) – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) salutes that lovable Great Dane, Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. gang with the release of Scooby-Doo, Where are You!: The Complete Series Limited Edition 50th Anniversary Mystery Mansion. Available in stores on September 3, 2019, this release is packaged in an eye-catching, limited edition collectible mystery mansion giftset that includes all 41 episodes of the original series, Scooby-Doo! Where are You!, released on Blu-ray™ for the first time, as well as a Digital Copy of the series. This must-own box set has some fun extras. The set contains all-new HD content andScooby-Doo collectibles including an exclusive Scooby-Doo Funko keychain, and a mini Scooby-Doo Encyclopedia. Scooby-Doo, Where are You!: The Complete Series Limited Edition 50th Anniversary Mystery Mansion will retail for $89.99 SRP. For 50 years, the Mystery Inc. gang has entertained Scooby-Doo fans with zany hijinks, action-packed adventures and engaging mysteries that have captivated viewers of all ages. What started as a Saturday morning cartoon, exploded into an enormously successful franchise encompassing multiple spin-off series, original animated and live action films, consumer products and much more. Now fans have the opportunity to enjoy the original series which launched Scooby-Doo into worldwide stardom. Scooby-Doo follows the adventures of four teens, Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and his lovable, but cowardly Great Dane, Scooby-Doo, as they travel far and wide in their stylish van, the Mystery Machine, to solve mysteries involving ghosts, monsters and other supernatural forces. Their entertaining adventures are always filled with hilarious hijinks and sometimes even catchy musical moments. Through teamwork and clever investigation, the teen sleuths solve case after case, while unmasking the villains who are usually behind each of the mysteries they encounter. “We are thrilled to celebrate the golden anniversary of Scooby-Doo, with the release of this gorgeous, limited edition, collectible set,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, Vice President Family & Animation Marketing. She added, “The original Scooby-Doo! Where are You!series is an iconic cartoon that has captivated audiences for generations. We are delighted to release the series on Blu-ray™ for the first time ever. Scooby-Doo fans and collectors won’t want to miss the chance to own this unique, classic animation collectible.” Brand-new Bonus Content:
Bonus Content (Previously Released): · Scooby-Doo’s Ultimate Fans: Hail the Gang’s Followers and Memorabilia Collectors · Get the Picture: How to draw Scooby-Doo and the Gang. · Funky Fashion · America Loves Scooby-Doo: Music Video · Scooby-Doo Street Smarts: Favorite cases of Scooby-Doo Fans · Take the Scooby-Doo Challenge · Hanna-Barbera: From H to B: Uncover how the studio’s artists and animators collaborate internally and connect with fans externally. · Scooby-Doo The Whole World Loves You!: It’s a fun-filled exploration of the world’s on-going love affair with all thingsScooby-Doo. With interviews with actors, writers, and directors of various Scooby-Doo TV series and movies from the last 50 years. · The Eerie Mystery of the Scooby-Doo History: This featurette talks about the beginnings of Scooby-Doo and how the show came to exist from the point of view of the executives and creative team behind the show.
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!: The Complete Series Limited Edition 50th Anniversary Mystery Mansion Featured Episodes: 1. What a Night for a Knight 2. A Clue for Scooby-Doo 3. Hassle in the Castle 4. Mine Your Own Business 5. Decoy for a Dognapper 6. What the Hex is Going On? 7. Never Ape and Ape Man 8. Foul Play in Funland 9. The Backstage Rage 10. Bedlam in the Big Top 11. A Gaggle of Galloping Ghosts 12. Scooby-Doo and a Mummy, Too 13. Which Witch is Which? 14. Go Away Ghost Ship 15. Spooky Space Kook 16. A Night of Fright Is No Delight 17. That’s Snow Ghost 18. Nowhere to Hyde 19. Mystery Mask Mix-Up 20. Scooby’s Night with a Frozen Fright 21. Jeepers, It’s the Creeper 22. Haunted House Hang-Up 23. A Tiki Scare Is No Fair 24. Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Werewolf? 25. Don’t Fool with a Phantom 26. Watch Out! The Willawaw! 27. To Switch a Witch 28. A Creepy Tangle in the Bermuda Triangle 29. The Creepy Case of Old Iron Face 30. A Highland Fling with a Monstrous Thing 31. A Scary Night With a Snow Beast Fright 32. The Tar Monster 33. Jeepers, It’s the Jaguaro 34. The Creepy Creature of Vulture’s Claw 35. Who Was That Cat Creature I Saw You With Last Night? (a.k.a. Make A Beeline Away From That Feline) 36. The Diabolical Disc Demon 37. Scooby’s Chinese Fortune Kooky Caper 38. A Menace in Venice 39. Don’t Go Near the Fortress of Fear 40. The Beast is Awake in Bottomless Lake 41. The Warlock of Wimbledon (Side note: Interesting to see they're calling "Who Was That Cat Creature I Saw With You Last Night?" by its original title again!)  With the Guess Who series coming soon, and all the crossovers we've been getting in the direct-to-video films lately, a lot of fans have been growing tired of all the celebrity crossovers in the franchise. Given the (Almost) Complete Collection of The New Scooby-Doo Movies was just released, I thought it might be fun to write an opinion piece on the Scooby crossovers.
In my opinion, I don't see the issues of having a lot of crossovers. I think the issue isn't the crossovers themselves, but how they're executed. Personally, The New Scooby-Doo Movies is one of my favorite series. The crossovers were done very well, and they didn't feel forced or unnecessary at all. I think the issue with the more recent DTV crossovers is that the guest stars often overshadow the gang. In other words, they become such a big focus that they almost become main characters in the film too. My personal preference is that the guest stars are more supporting characters in the film/episode. In some of the films, particularly the WWE and KISS ones, Fred, Velma and Daphne feel like they're pushed to the side completely. Even though this is technically a franchise aimed at kids, I think aspects like good character development and strong plot are still important. The guest stars shouldn't be used as a crutch or an excuse to be lazy, rather they should be used as a plot-enhancing device. The guest stars, for the most part, in The New Scooby-Doo Movies weren't utilized in a way that was lazy, or to make up for a lack of plot. Gourmet Ghost also did a nice job with balancing the use of guest stars, without letting it overshadow Fred, Velma and Daphne. I really hope Guess Who is smart about using guest stars as a plot device, and not just using them to cover up them slacking on the writing. Fingers crossed this new series will be amazing! What are all your thoughts on the crossovers? Do you enjoy them, or do you feel the quality of recent crossovers hasn't been as good? Let me know in the comments if you have any thoughts! With only a few days left until the premiere of the new series, Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?, a one-minute sneak preview of the first episode (featuring Chris Paul) has been released. Here's the sypnosis for that episode: "Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. gang meet up with basketball legend and bowling aficionado Chris Paul at a golf tournament fundraiser held in Florida. Shaggy's come to caddy for Mr. Paul and help him with this game so the Assist King can save a local school from going under. But when a horrible Swamp Monster attacks trying to destroy the charity event, our heroes and Mr. Paul must finish the tournament and save the school, and possibly their own lives!" In addition, some of the guest stars have taken to social media to promote the new show. Sia's tweet also shares that she will guest-star in the 11th episode, posted on September 5.    Though we still have no word on the release date for Return to Zombie Island in the US, Amazon FR has created a listing for the film. It will be released on September 11, a Wednesday, in France. Typically, most DVDs in the US are released on Tuesdays, which could mean that the film will be released September 10. This is also the same week as Scooby's 50th anniversary, which would make sense that it would be released then. Stay tuned for more updates!
 Though there were only subtle undertones that Marcie/Hot Dog Water from Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated might have a romantic interest in Velma, Grey did once say that Marcie was Velma's "girlfriend" in a recent interview.
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