Summary (tl;dr)

Abby Ryder Fortson and Maxwell Jenkins are currently trending due to the recent announcement of their casting as Velma Dinkley and Fred Jones, respectively, in Netflix's upcoming live-action "Scooby-Doo" series.

Essential Background

The "Scooby-Doo" franchise, originating from Hanna-Barbera, has a long history of animated and live-action iterations featuring a group of teenage friends and their dog solving mysteries. Netflix officially announced a new live-action "Scooby-Doo" series in March 2025, which aims to provide a modern origin story for the iconic Mystery Inc. gang.

The Full Story

Today, March 18, 2026, it was confirmed that Abby Ryder Fortson has been cast as Velma Dinkley and Maxwell Jenkins as Fred Jones in the new live-action "Scooby-Doo" series for Netflix. This news completes the core human cast, with Mckenna Grace previously announced as Daphne Blake and Tanner Hagen as Shaggy Rogers. The eight-episode series will explore how the group first met during their final summer at Camp Ruby-Spears, where they become entangled in a mystery involving a lost Great Dane puppy that will eventually become Scooby-Doo. Production for the series is slated to commence in late April 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Why It Matters

The casting of Fortson, known for her acclaimed role in "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.", and Jenkins, recognized from "Lost in Space" and "Reacher", in such iconic roles is generating considerable excitement among fans. This new series is a significant undertaking for Netflix, aiming to revitalize a beloved franchise with a fresh, darker origin story that seeks to appeal to both long-time fans and a new generation of viewers. The high-profile nature of the "Scooby-Doo" brand and the chosen actors' previous successes contribute to the strong interest and trending status of these keywords.

Geographic Location

• Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States (scheduled production of the live-action "Scooby-Doo" series)