There are few cartoons as popular as Scooby-Doo. The 50-plus-year-old franchise has seen many iterations over the years in endless TV shows, movies, and comics. Now Warner Brothers Home Entertainment has released the new trailer for the next Scooby-Doo direct-to-video adventure Trick or Treat, Scooby-Doo! which will see the return of some of the gang’s most iconic villains.
The trailer sees Mystery Inc in a classic scenario trying to enjoy a needed rest from mystery solving as they celebrate Halloween in Coolsville. However, these meddling kids just can’t seem to ever catch a break. After tracking down Coco Diablo who’s the head of the costume crime syndicate that made the famous costumes for villains like The Black Knight Ghost, Space Kook, and Ghost Diver, Doppelgänger ghosts start appearing to terrorize Coolsville’s Halloween. There are many interesting things of note to take away from this zany trailer. For one, the film is using the nostalgic art style from the latest series in the franchise, Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? which is a first for the direct-to-video films. This was a fun series that celebrated the best elements of Scooby-Doo, from its goofy tone, absurd humor, and colorful villains, while applying it to a more self-aware modern aesthetic.
That same vibe can be felt throughout this trailer, and it’s very interesting that the filmmakers decided to connect all the franchise’s past villains via a costume maker. While it will be great to see Scooby’s amazing rogues’ gallery again, it is always hit-and-miss when big franchises try to connect their seemingly unrelated stories together. This is not the first time Scooby-Doo has gone down this nostalgia well either; some of the best films in the franchise like Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed have tackled similar monster-filled plot lines.
On top of that, this is also not the gang’s first Halloween-themed film. Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo! was released in 2020. Though some of the films have been hit-and-miss lately, these Scooby-Doo adventures have always been a bright spot for the direct-to-video market. Last year’s crossover Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo! Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog was an extremely fun mystery so hopefully the franchise can continue off that momentum with this latest film.
Ever since films like Zombie Island and Witch’s Ghost brilliantly reintroduced this franchise in a more horror-centric way in the late 90s, Scooby-Doo direct-to-video films have had a lot to live up to. However, as the years passed, the films have gone back to the series’ more comedic roots. Trick or Treat looks to be another film in that series’ more modern kid-friendly template. Nevertheless, this film might be a sweet Halloween treat that fans of the franchise desperately need. Especially given the recent news that the sequel to Scoob! isn’t getting released.
Trick or Treat, Scooby-Doo! will be released on both digital and DVD. While the film doesn’t have a release date yet, given its spooky theme and the fact that Halloween is just two months away, we should hear news on that front soon. Until then, you can watch the trailer for Mystery Inc’s latest caper down below. You can also stream most of Scooby-Doo’s rich library of content on HBO Max now.