Top 10: “Scooby-Doo” movies

Since its debut in 1969, “Scooby-Doo” has remained one of the most consistent cartoons to ever air. With many remakes and reboots, the relevance of “Scooby-Doo” has passed through generations, earning him and the mystery-solving gang a special place in our hearts. In total, there are over 40 different “Scooby-Doo” movies, not including any television movies or short films. Ranking these films is not easy – especially if you consume these movies like candy – so this list will contain the rankings I have devised over the years – yes, years.

10. “Scooby-Doo! Camp Scare”

To kick this list off, this movie was the first “Scooby-Doo” movie I ever purchased. It aired Sept. 14, 2010 and has been continuously played throughout the years on Cartoon Network or on Boomerang, a channel owned by Cartoon Network that airs old cartoons. The movie takes place during the summer at Fred Jones’ old summer camp, which the characters found out was attacked by a monster when they first arrived. Later on, two more monsters appeared, trying to scare the mystery-solving gang away from the camp. The plot of the movie is unique for “Scooby-Doo,” considering they usually face one monster, not three. Overall, the movie is excellent because it keeps you guessing as to who might be scaring them away up until the final battle scene, where the monsters are revealed. 

9. “Scooby-Doo! Frankencreepy”

Next on the list, “Frankencreepy” employs a new tactic only seen once in “Scooby-Doo” history: the return of the mystery-solving gang’s past. Though the same monsters are not used, this movie uses the characters from the original “Scooby-Doo” show that aired in 1969, allowing for some of the most famous villains from those episodes to make a comeback. They lure the gang into Velma’s creepy family history, almost succeeding in destroying them all mentally by changing their personalities completely. Overall, the movie moves beautifully from scene-to-scene and conveys the message that your past can still haunt you in many ways, but it’s possible to solve your issues because they’re something you’ve conquered before.

8. “Chill Out, Scooby-Doo!”

Airing Sept. 4, 2007, this movie is a special treat. Initially the gang was supposed to meet in Paris, France. However, “Scooby-Doo” and Shaggy boarded the wrong plane and became a crazy Frenchman’s bait for the Yeti, which is the monster in this film. Fred, Daphne and Velma make their way to the Himalayas to search for the two. Meanwhile the Yeti is causing quite a stir on the mountain – until the mystery solving gang arrives. Overall, the plot and mystery are okay, but the movie teaches you that change affects many people, and that you will leave an impact on everyone’s life, no matter how big or small.

7. “Scooby-Doo! in Where’s My Mummy”

On Dec. 13, 2005, this unique and edgy movie aired. The movie takes place in Egypt at the site of the restoration of the Sphinx. However, Velma – who was working with the lead archeologist – discovers there is much more to the great building than meets the eye. Much different from the previous films, the movie explores what possibilities could lie underneath the Sphinx, as well as the dangers of being consumed with greed. The villains in this movie are no strangers to the mystery gang. Overall, the movie is solid with a steady plot that enhances the hype of who might be scaring everyone away from the site.

6. “Scooby-Doo! and the Samurai Sword”

Airing April 7, 2009, “Scooby-Doo” and the gang find themselves in Japan for a martial arts and action-packed mystery. Unlike all the previous movies, this movie explores the possibility of actual monsters – a plot they hadn’t touched in a few years. The movie examines good versus evil as well as the greed people are consumed by to inherit power. The gang finds themselves in many predicaments when facing an unexpected foe. This movie helps drive home the idea that not all power is bad, but that the hunger for more power can lead one astray.

5. “Scooby-Doo” & “Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed”

Next are the two live action films that aired June 14, 2002 and March 26, 2004. These two are grouped together because they go hand-in-hand with one another. The first movie explores the reality that friendships don’t last forever, whereas the second movie discusses the importance of teamwork. Both movies deal with live monsters controlled by a character from their past who is seeking revenge for the mistreatment they believed the gang had subjected them to. What makes both of these movies revolutionary in the Scooby multiverse is that these were the first live action films to be produced, and thankfully the producers and directors made both movies into long-lasting memories for everyone.

4. “Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders”

Airing Oct. 3, 2000, this movie was one of the four direct-to-video movies that were produced in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. The plot explores the possibility of aliens in our universe and the greed of humans once again. After finding themselves stuck in a town in the middle of nowhere, the mystery solving gang is intrigued by the locals’ stories about aliens scaring the town every now and then. After meeting some new people, the gang solves the mystery fairly easily, but the battle scene is the real plot twist of the movie. Overall, the movie keeps the same tone of the possibility of the supernatural being a reality, not just a fantasy.

3. “Scooby-Doo! and the Witch’s Ghost”

Coming in at third on my list, this movie produced one of the better mysteries the gang has ever solved. Embedded in a mystery itself, the plot once again explores the possibility of witchcraft and magic as an actual practice – though it does stretch what witchcraft truly is. The gang must solve the mystery of a witch who’s haunting an old Puritan village within a scenic and beautiful northern town. They were tricked into coming by the villain, Velma’s hero, author Ben Ravencroft, who has been searching for an ancient and evil spell book for years. The plot thickens immensely once the book is found and includes a fight scene that is one for the ages. Because of the plot, this movie deserves to be remembered as one of the greatest “Scooby-Doo” movies of all time.

2. “Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island”

Runner-up is this classic movie that I’m sure everyone has seen at least once. This might be one of the most famous movies in the “Scooby-Doo” series due to its very creepy nature and thick plot. The gang finds themselves separated due to their annoyance with never solving real mysteries until Daphne and Fred decide to produce a show in which they find the most haunted places in America. Searching for live horror, not what they used to solve, causes the gang to find themselves on an Island supposedly haunted by ghosts and zombies. The gang is skeptical – as they should be – and jump to conclusions once clues start to pile together. However, they were not expecting to also face cat creatures that have a dark past due to the carelessness of pirates. The gang barely makes it out alive with one extra character all thanks to Scooby-Doo and Shaggy being the clumsy goofs they are. Overall, this movie is great for nostalgia purposes and would be an ideal Halloween movie to enjoy with friends.

1. “Scooby-Doo and the Cyberchase”

Finally, my favorite “Scooby-Doo” movie easily has the best plot of all the movies listed and features old fiends within cyberspace. The movie takes place in a university computer lab, where the gang is sent into cyberspace by the true villain – who created a virus to destroy his friend’s computer game to earn $250,000. The gang must find their way out by playing a video game based around their mystery-solving lives. They battle their way through nine levels before facing the final and most difficult 10th level, where they must face villains they’ve unmasked in the past. However, they aren’t too lucky this time because they’re in a computer generated game, not reality, making these monsters even more dangerous. Of course, in the end the gang is able to find their way out and catch the person that sent them into cyberspace for a cyberchase.