Scoob 2 Director Explains Why Completed Film Won’t Release

Scoob 2 director Michael Kurinsky reveals Warner Bros. Discovery’s reason for scrapping the prequel’s release despite the film’s completion. The 2020 film’s animated prequel was completed a few weeks ago, even though it had been canceled by the studio a few months ago.

The prequel would have ventured on depicting one of Scooby Gang’s earliest adventures with the young voice actors of the beloved characters reprising their roles. The recently merged studio canceled the film to get a tax exemption and cover the debt it took from Discovery’s former head.

In an interview with Variety, Kurinsky explained why they completed the movie despite the cancellation. You can read his quote below:

We were able to finish this movie because it was already paid for. I can’t say it was [Warner Bros] saying, ‘Please finish this movie; we want you to.’ It was more like, ‘Finish the movie because we’ve paid to finish it.’ At the end of the day, I don’t care why and how it got finished. I’m glad it got finished because so many people worked so hard to make something so beautiful and really great.

Scoob 2 Director Reveals Why Film is Completed but Won't Release — Younger Scooby Gang

The director added WBD’s reason for going forward with the cancellation, which is quite similar to why DC comic character Batgirl’s film was also scrapped.

The thing that has stayed the same here, regardless of us being done with the picture, is that Warner Bros. Discovery cannot monetize this movie now. To get that $40 million tax write-off, they cannot make money from it. So, there is no scenario where they can sell it, stream it, or anything. They just can’t because any move they make would monetize it, and then they would lose their tax write-off.

Even apart from this point of view, WBD’s decision not to go ahead with the film’s release could also have something to do with the fact that the 2020 film did not do well at theaters.

The movie’s release on streaming platforms would be possible if not for the monetization issue, but even then, the studio wouldn’t have released it on HBO Max. The studio’s recent change in direction and focus on the big screens must have something to do with their reluctance to at least release the film via streaming.

But Scooby-Doo fans still have something to look forward to since Mindy Kaling’s takeover as Velma will bring a new voice and a more mature tone to the beloved franchise.