Credit: Cameron Venti

Ohh, this is big. This is as big as it gets. Netflix’s upcoming live-action Scooby-Doo series has officially found its Daphne, and it is Mckenna Grace, which makes more than perfect sense the moment you think about it. She has been jumping between genres for years, and now she is stepping into one of the most iconic characters from the Hanna-Barbera universe. This new show has been slowly building hype ever since Netflix gave it a premium commitment, and now that Daphne is cast, the project finally feels real.

The series is coming from Midnight Radio, Berlanti Productions, and Warner Bros. And since it’s television, the creative team behind it is no small thing. We’ve got Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg, the duo known for projects such as Cowboy Bebop, writing and showrunning the entire eight-episode run. Their job is to take the classic Scooby-Doo setup and turn it into an origin story that explains how Mystery Inc. even came together in the first place.

And this is where it gets fun. Instead of dropping us straight into a mystery with a fully formed group, the show takes everyone back to Shaggy and Daphne’s final summer at camp. That is where the first major case appears, and it is not a small one. The story starts when those two stumble into a creepy situation involving a lonely Great Dane puppy who may have witnessed a supernatural murder. So yes, the dog is at the centre of everything from the start, which keeps the spirit of the original franchise intact without copying the usual formula beat for beat.

As the mystery grows, Shaggy and Daphne end up pulling more people into the mess. Velma joins as the sharp, science-minded townie who knows more than she lets on. Freddy shows up as the new kid with a strange charm that complicates the dynamic but is exactly what they need.

Together, the four of them start assembling things together about what happened, and you start to see how this messy, stressful case becomes the foundation of the group we know as Mystery Inc. If you believe that you will get some polished version of the show in 2026, let us tell you that it is going to be more grounded this time in the sense that these kids are still figuring themselves out while trying to solve something much bigger than them.

As for Mckenna Grace, this role fits right into her career trajectory. She has already appeared in everything from emotional dramas and thrillers to big franchise films, and she always brings a confident screen presence, no matter the tone. Most recently, she starred in Regretting You, and she has Scream 7 and a Hunger Games prequel on the way. Taking on Daphne adds a whole new layer to her portfolio, especially since this version of the character will be younger and rougher around the edges. Be ready to witness the non-polished detective fans know from later stories.

With the show still untitled and the rest of the cast yet to be announced, this reveal sets the stage for more updates soon. But for now, the biggest takeaway is simple: the new Scooby-Doo series finally has its Daphne, and the reboot just got a lot more interesting.