Here’s a little new millennium nostalgia for your day. Remember the 2002 movie Scooby-Doo? You know the one that put those meddling kids into a live action camp fest that perfectly cast the characters Velma (Linda Cardellini), Fred (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Shaggy (Matthew Lillard), and the voice of Scooby-Doo (Neil Fanning)? Yea, that one.
While the film itself received negative reviews, it was a box office success that has garnered a cult following throughout the years. And on the 20th anniversary of the film, a viral Twitter thread from @notgwendalupe gave some behind the scenes insight into the film. But what’s interesting is how many queer undertones were within the movie that you may not have noticed.
in honor of it being 20 years since 'Scooby Doo' premiered, here's a thread with all the adult jokes you might have missed: pic.twitter.com/8x0BUlQM96
— pop culture (@notgwendalupe) June 14, 2022
For starters, Fred was going to be gay at the end of the film, but producers backed off of the idea. Lillard had a few reasons why.
according to matthew lillard, freddie prinze jr. played fred thinking they were gonna make him a gay man at the end of it pic.twitter.com/kZW0RAp3BY
— pop culture (@notgwendalupe) June 14, 2022
Then there’s Velma singing “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”, giving a lot bisexual energy pointed towards Fred and Daphne.
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velma singing 'can't take my eyes off you' to daphne AND fred while being drunk pic.twitter.com/fjgqZxX8Ae
— pop culture (@notgwendalupe) June 14, 2022
And this scene when the spirits of Fred and Daphne swapped bodies and Fred couldn’t take his eyes off of, well, himself.
velma singing 'can't take my eyes off you' to daphne AND fred while being drunk pic.twitter.com/fjgqZxX8Ae
— pop culture (@notgwendalupe) June 14, 2022
Or this moment where Shaggy complimented Fred’s impressive “banana”.
shaggy telling fred he's the 'big banana' of the group and fred just agrees with him 💀 pic.twitter.com/SkGL4B1JEf
— pop culture (@notgwendalupe) June 14, 2022
Some queer elements were cut in production, but Gellar spilled the tea on a scene where Daphne and Velma kiss.
there was a scene filmed with linda cardellini and sarah michelle gellar kissing, but it was cut out pic.twitter.com/GAuIFl5th1
— pop culture (@notgwendalupe) June 14, 2022
Not sure if you had “the Scooby-Doo movie was a part of my queer awakening” on your 2022 bingo card, but maybe you need to mark it off.
Besides the queer themes you may have missed in your childhood, the thread also points our numerous adult jokes that may have went over your head. Now, relive those moments and get into the shock and awe of the cinematic tour de force that is Scooby-Doo.
Check out the rest of the thread here and let the nostalgia run wild.