JuicyTalk
Though he’s now known for his unique take on superhero films, James Gunn penned two that are iconic to older Gen-Z and younger millennial audiences: Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. These films were based on the highly popular cartoon franchise based around the titular canine protagonist and his friends, a crime-solving group called Mystery Incorporated, but it took a more comedic approach, poking fun at the classic series.
Scooby-Doo starred Matthew Lillard, Freddy Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Linda Cardellini. Though the films were poorly received upon release, they have since become cult classics, largely due to Gunn’s quirky script and a stellar performance from Lillard as Shaggy Rogers.
Aside from some made-for-television prequels, Scooby-Doo’s live-action filmography ended 20 years ago. However, Lillard recently teased a possible team up between him and Gunn in a different franchise: the DC Universe.
During an L.A. Comic Con panel featuring the Scream cast and moderated by Screen Rant’s Joe Deckelmeier, the actor discussed his interest in joining in on the superhero craze:
I’m in Daredevil next season. I do not wear any lycra. I know you’re sad.
I have wanted to be in the superhero world. I’ve wanted to be in, you know, these. I mean, if anyone’s curious, if you run into James Gunn, tell him, I’m available.
James Gunn wrote Scooby-Doo 1 and 2. He’s one of my dear friends. I keep waiting for that invitation. I don’t know if it’s lost in the mail, but yeah, I like that.
As Lillard noted during the panel, he is already dipping his toes into superhero media by joining Daredevil: Born Again season 2. However, his mystery role has yet to be revealed by Marvel Studios, though many speculate he may be playing a villain such as Stilt-Man. Regardless, many actors (and filmmakers such as Gunn himself) have worked on both Marvel and DC productions.
Far more notable is his close relationship with Gunn, who is the current co-CEO of DC Studios, and his openness to work together again. Gunn is notorious for casting his friends and former collaborators in his films and series. For example, Nathan Fillion, Michael Rooker, and Jennifer Holland, who is also Gunn’s wife, frequently show up in Gunn’s work. As such, it would not be a huge surprise if Gunn tapped his former Scooby-Doo collaborator to join the DCU, even if that conversation hasn’t happened yet.
Who Could Matthew Lillard Play In James Gunn’s DC Universe?
Lillard has tremendous range as an actor. He’s played lovable goofballs like Shaggy as well as serial killers like Stu Macher in Scream and William Afton in Five Nights At Freddy’s, being convincing every time. An obvious choice based on his history of playing unhinged villains would be to drop him into an antagonist role, such as the Joker, the Mad Hatter, or even a comedic deep cut like the Condiment King.
Alternatively, the DCU could lean into Lillard’s more serious side, which was shown in films like The Descendants, with a major part like Commissioner Jim Gordon. His varied acting experiences lend themselves to a variety of roles within the DCU, and it would be fun for Lillard and Gunn to have a Scooby-Doo reunion by working together again.
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- Created by
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Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson
- First Film
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Man of Steel
- First TV Show
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Peacemaker
- Cast
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Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Jason Momoa, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cara Delevingne, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Zachary Levi, Dwayne Johnson, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Djimon Hounsou, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett, Rosie Perez, Ella Jay Basco, Ali Wong, Ewan McGregor, Idris Elba, John Cena, Michael Keaton, George Clooney, Xolo Mariduena
- Movie(s)
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Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, Justice League, Aquaman, Shazam!, Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman 1984, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, The Suicide Squad, Black Adam, Shazam! The Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle, Superman, The Brave and the Bold
- Character(s)
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Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash, Cyborg, Harley Quinn, The Joker, Shazam, Darkseid, Amanda Waller, Lex Luthor, Doomsday, Deadshot, Deathstroke, Black Canary, Black Adam
The DC Universe is one of the biggest comic book franchises and often competes with Marvel. DC Comics started as National Allied Publications, founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1935. Since then, the franchise has exploded with thousands of comic books, movies, TV shows, and video games. 2013 marked the beginning of the most recent iteration of the superheroes, with Zack Snyder introducing Henry Cavill as Superman. After several movies with mixed reviews, DC underwent a soft reboot under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
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