André “3000” Benjamin is returning to the Scooby-Doo universe more than two decades after contributing to the soundtrack for the franchise’s first live-action film.
The Grammy-winning OutKast member landed a recurring role in Netflix’s upcoming series Scooby-Doo: Origins, the streamer recently announced on social media.
The live-action series is currently filming in Atlanta and will premiere globally next year, Netflix revealed on its Tudum blog.
The rapper’s casting marks a full-circle moment. In 2002, OutKast teamed up with Killer Mike and Sleepy Brown for “Land of a Million Drums,” which appeared on the soundtrack for the first live-action Scooby-Doo movie.
Scooby Doo, Where Are You! was a hugely popular animated series that debuted on CBS in 1969. It followed a group of teenagers and a dog that traveled around in a colorful van solving spooky crimes.
The new series goes back to the beginning to reveal how Mystery Inc. first came together, per Netflix. In the modern reimagining, longtime friends Shaggy and Daphne team up during their final summer at camp after becoming entangled in a frightening mystery involving a lost Great Dane puppy that may have witnessed a supernatural murder.
They join forces with scientifically minded local Velma and mysterious newcomer Fred to solve the case before it exposes their secrets.
Mckenna Grace will star as Daphne Blake, with Tanner Hagen as Shaggy Rogers, Abby Ryder Fortson as Velma Dinkley and Maxwell Jenkins as Fred Jones.
The ensemble cast also includes Paul Walter Hauser, Cathy Moriarty, Rusty Schwimmer, Peter Macon, Maxwell Simkins, Jona Xiao, Dani Deetté, Sara Gilbert, Wynn Everett, Sauriyan Sapkota and Bruce McGill. Most of their roles have not been revealed.
The series will make franchise history by featuring a real Great Dane as Scooby for the first time, according to Netflix.
Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg will serve as showrunners and executive producers through their Midnight Radio production company.
Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Leigh London Redman of Berlanti Productions are also executive producing, along with André Nemec, Jeff Pinkner and Adrienne Erickson of Midnight Radio. Toby Haynes will direct the premiere and serve as an executive producer.
“One of my first and favorite jobs in Hollywood was sitting with Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera while they signed animation cels,” Berlanti said in a statement. “Josh and Scott and everyone at Midnight Radio have crafted a story that captures their amazing spirits and their genius creation.”
Beyond his music career, Benjamin has built an extensive acting résumé. His film credits include Be Cool, Four Brothers, Idlewild, Jimi: All Is by My Side and High Life. He has also appeared on the TV series American Crime and The Shield.
Scooby-Doo: Origins is slated to arrive on Netflix in 2027.
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