Matthew Lillard is known for many iconic roles across his career, and one of those includes Shaggy in the hit live-action movie Scooby-Doo, which has become a cult classic for a modern audience, but with a new live-action approach, the actor had a chance to have his say.

Lillard, alongside his co-stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., and Linda Cardellini, brought the Mystery Gang to life in 2002’s Scooby-Doo and 2004’s Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. The concept was created in 1969 by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears for Hanna-Barbera Productions as a comedic mystery show titled Mysteries Five before becoming what it is known today.

In an interview with ScreenRant‘s Ash Crossan for the original series Going Method, Lillard addressed the new developments for the upcoming live-action Scooby-Doo series for Netflix and passing the baton to the next person to play the iconic role of Shaggy as the actor refers to that role as “one of the greatest parts” of his life:

ScreenRant: I know Shaggy is your guy, and they’re doing a new live-action Scooby-Doo. Are you part of it?

Matthew Lillard: No. Those days of playing a wily teenager are well over.

I will say that I did reach out to them and say, “Anything I can do to help.”

ScreenRant: I feel like a cameo has to happen.

Matthew Lillard: Or I’d just go help the next Shaggy be incredible. To me, that’s one of the greatest parts of my life, and that franchise is so important to kids. Shaggy sort of represents the beauty of storytelling to me: a kid being scared and getting over his own fear. The whole show is about friendship.

I think it’s a really special property, so if I can help give pointers to whoever’s playing Shaggy next, I’m happy to do that.

In a recent update, it was revealed that Mckenna Grace has been cast as Daphne in Netflix’s live-action series after voicing the character in Scoob!. Netflix has picked up the adaptation for eight episodes and is said to be a modern reimagining of the cult classic. Josh Appelbaum (Wonder Park) and Scott Rosenberg (Beautiful Girls) will be writers and showrunners as well as executive producers alongside André Nemec and Jeff Pinkner.

The official logline reads, “During their final summer at camp, old friends Shaggy and Daphne get embroiled in a haunting mystery surrounding a lonely lost Great Dane puppy that may have been a witness to a supernatural murder.”

“Together with the pragmatic and scientific townie, Velma, and the strange, but ever so handsome new kid, Freddy, they set out to solve the case that is pulling each of them into a creepy nightmare that threatens to expose all of their secrets.” There have been no other casting announcements made at the time of writing, and who will be taking the role of Shaggy remains in the air.

Production for Netflix’s new series is set to begin in April this year, with more casting announcements expected leading up to the start. There is no official release date for the new Scooby-Doo adaptation as of writing.

Release Date

June 14, 2002

Runtime

87 minutes

Director

Raja Gosnell

Producers

Andrew Mason, Charles Roven, Joseph Barbera, Kelley Smith-Wait, Richard Suckle, Robert Engelman