Over the last number of months, Warner Brothers Discovery and the company’s new CEODavid Zaslavhave been reshaping the studio’s offerings from the DC Universe and beyond. This included canceling films likeBatgirlandThe Wonder Twins. However, another major franchise that has been affected by the recent WBD merger has been a pup namedScooby-Doo. The classic animated series saw its sequel toScoob!,Scoob: Holiday Hauntaxed in favor of a tax write-off last summer. However, while manyScooby-Doofans weren’t happy with the decision, it has been learned that this wasn’t the only cancelledScooby-Doofilm. DirectorCarolyn Gairrecently revealed that her filmScooby-Doo and the Haunted High Risealso became the victim of the dreaded tax write-off. The worst part is, the movie was set to bring back the series’ fan-favorite fictional band The Hex Girls.
The Haunted High Rise
This news comes courtesy of an interview with theJayBee & MillyYouTube channel where Gair talked as much as she could about the canned Hex Girl film. Apparently, this was a project that was also deep into its production. The voice-over work was all finished and the animation process was about to start when Zaslav cut the film. If that news couldn’t get any worse, the original Hex Girl voice actorsJennifer Hale(Thorn),Kimberly Brooks(Luna), andJane Wiedlin(Dusk) had returned for the film and even new songs which, given The Hex Girls’ track record, would have been instant classics.
The Hex Girls' Legacy
There’s really not much else known about the project, but over the last 25 years, The Hex Girls have become animation royalty. The music group debuted in 1999’s belovedScooby-Doo and the Witch’s Ghost. This was the sequel toScooby-Doo on Zombie Islandwhich reinvigorated interest in the iconic franchise. The Hex Girls were riffing on the girl bands of the time with a signatureScooby-Dooflavor that was to die for. Thorn, Luna, and Dusk all had this distinct style with their songs being some of the catchiest tunes you will ever hear. “Hex Girl,” “Earth, Wind, Fire, and Air”, “The Witch’s Ghost”, and “Scooby Snacks” are just a few of their iconic hits. After their debut appearance, they would be featured in several otherScoobyprojects and most animated iterations of the franchise going forward. This would includeWhat’s New Scooby-Doo?,Scooby-Doo and the Legend of The Vampire,Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated, andScooby-Doo and Guess Who?. Even though they have only existed for less than half of Scooby’s 50-plus-year lifespan, it’s hard to imagine a time in the franchise without this Goth-loving rock band. Like Scooby himself, The Hex Girls have been included on countless merchandise and the band has even received their own Funko Pops.
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The State ofScooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo’s in a bit of an odd spot at the moment. The franchise just finished up the first season of its adult seriesVelmawhich was full of blood, murder, and crude self-aware humor. While most fans of the franchise hated the show,Season 2is already underway, and it’s actually a pretty fun series. Hopefully, the Hex Girls can make an appearance in the HBO series.
The animated direct-to-video filmTrick or Treat, Scooby-Doo!, which Gair was a storyboard artist on, was also released last fall after the news that theScoob!Sequel was shelved. The film was a great homage to the franchise and pushed the series into the 21st century by havingVelma come out as a lesbian. It was a wonderful step forward for the franchise, but Zaslav hasn’t made any friends with this Hex Girl news. If there’s one thing you don’t take away fromScooby-Doofans, it’s more Hex Girl content. From the sounds of it,Haunted High Risewas going to put the spooky band at the forefront of the story. While thinking about what could have been with this second canceledScooby-Doofilm, you can watch The Hex Girls jamming out inThe Witch’s Ghostdown below. Most of theScooby-Doofranchise is now streaming on HBO Max.
