James Gunn Was Set to Write and Direct SCOOBY-DOO 3

Before writing Slither, James Gunn penned both Scooby-Doo and its sequel Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. And today Gunn says that he was all set to write and direct Scooby-Doo 3 … but then it never happened.

During a Q&A on Instagram, Gunn explained: “I made a deal to write and direct [Scooby-Doo 3] back in 2004 but the second one, although it did well, didn’t do well enough to warrant a third, so the movie was never made. That said it was because I apprenticed as a director on those films I was ready and able to take on Guardians when the time came.”

RELATED: JAMES GUNN CONFIRMS SCOOBY-DOO WAS MEANT TO BE PG-13

The original Scooby-Doo was directed by Raja Gosnell from a screenplay by James Gunn from a story by Gunn and Craig Titley based on Scooby-Doo by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears. Charles Roven and Richard Suckle produced. It starred Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, Linda Cardellini, and Rowan Atkinson. Warner Bros. Pictures released it back in June 2002.

It was set two years after a clash of egos forced Mystery Inc. to close its doors when Scooby-Doo and his clever crime-solving cohorts Fred (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Shaggy (Matthew Lillard) and Velma (Linda Cardellini) are individually summoned to Spooky Island to investigate a series of paranormal incidents at the ultra-hip Spring Break hot spot.

RELATED: SCOOBY-DOO REBOOT SCOOB! GETS TRAILER & POSTER

Rated PG for some rude humor, language, and some scary action, the film sports a 30% approval rating over on Rotten Tomatoes with a Critics Consensus that reads: “Though Lillard is uncannily spot-on as Shaggy, Scooby-Doo is a tired live-action update, filled with lame jokes.”

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed was rated PG for some scary action, rude humor and language, and sports a 22% approval rating over on Rotten Tomatoes with a Critics Consensus that reads: “Only the very young will get the most out of this silly trifle.” Ouch.

Would you still be up for James Gunn’s Scooby-Doo 3? I would. Let us know what you think in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram

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