After decades of speculation, a new HBO Max movie has finally confirmed that fan-favourite character Velma is in fact a lesbian, as has been long suspected. Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! comes to HBO Max in mid-October, but is already available to rent on VOD platforms. And Google is celebrating Velma’s coming out with some festive pride flags and confetti if you type in her name…
In the new film, Velma has a crush on new character Coco Diablo and asks Daphne for help; “I’m crushing big time, Daphne. What do I do? What do I say?” Audie Harrison, director of the new movie told NPR that “From my perspective, they [Warner Bros] were very supportive of this direction for Velma’s character from day one and it never seemed like they were too worried about how it would be perceived. Which was very refreshing.”
Harrison continued; “It honestly did not occur to [me] that we were doing something so groundbreaking until right now. I just set out to have fun with the comedy of an awkward teenage crush.”
Harrison concluded; “I actually thought it was a bigger deal for Velma’s character that she is in love with the villain of the movie. The fact that she is a girl is just… well, a fact. That being said, it does feel great to be a part of normalising representation, especially with such a well-known franchise like Scooby-Doo!”
James Gunn says that “Velma was explicitly gay in my initial script [for the 2002 live-action Scooby-Doo movie]. But the studio just kept watering it down & watering it down, becoming ambiguous (the version shot), then nothing (the released version) and finally having a boyfriend (in the sequel).”
The producer of the animated series from 2010-2013, Tony Cervone has also previously wrote on Instagram; “I’ve said this before, but Velma in Mystery Incorporated is not bi. She’s gay.”
Check out our guide to the best animated movies.