New animated 'Scooby-Doo' movie is set for 2018 release

BURBANK, Calif., Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Tony Cervone is to direct an animated Scooby-Doo movie set for release Sept. 21, 2018.

The announcement was made jointly Monday by Greg Silverman, president of creative development and worldwide production for Warner Bros. Pictures; Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution; Sue Kroll, president of worldwide marketing and distribution; and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, president of worldwide distribution.

The film reunites producers Charles Roven and Richard Suckle, who previously produced the studio's live-action features Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.

"Like countless fans, I have always loved the Hanna-Barbera cast of characters. As one of their most famous brand ambassadors, Scooby-Doo will take the lead in reintroducing this pantheon of enduringly popular animated stars on a grand scale with an exciting new movie," Silverman said in a statement.

"It's always a treat to see Scooby-Doo on the big screen and to share his larger-than-life adventures with audiences. As anticipation grows throughout production, the movie's mid-September release date should start the fall season with a burst of fun," added Fellman.

"It's wonderful to be working with this talented and inspired team of filmmakers. We couldn't ask for better producers than Charles Roven, Richard Suckle and Allison Abbate, who have such affection and respect for this property and know the Hanna-Barbera universe so well," Kroll remarked.

"Scooby-Doo and his friends have the kind of universal appeal that reaches across cultures as well as generations. We expect this new take on the franchise to generate even more fans around the world," said Kwan Vanderberg.