Daphne & Velma

Last updated
Daphne & Velma
Daphne & Velma (2018).png
DVD cover
Directed by Suzi Yoonessi
Written by
  • Kyle Mack
  • Caitlin Meares
Based on Characters
by Hanna-Barbera Productions
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMeena Singh [1]
Edited byKristina Davies [1]
Music bySasha Gordon [1]
Production
companies
Distributed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Release dates
  • April 7, 2018 (2018-04-07)(C2E2)
  • May 22, 2018 (2018-05-22)(United States)
Running time
75 minutes [2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Daphne & Velma is a 2018 American direct-to-video comedy mystery film directed by Suzi Yoonessi. The film is the fifth overall installment to the Scooby-Doo live-action film series and a spin-off prequel to the film series and the whole Scooby-Doo franchise, featuring the title characters Daphne Blake and Velma Dinkley. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] The film is produced by Ashley and Jennifer Tisdale's Blondie Girl Productions along with Blue Ribbon Content. [10] It premiered at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) on April 7, 2018, [11] and was released on DVD, Blu-ray, and Digital HD on May 22, 2018, by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. [10] [12]

Contents

Plot

Daphne Blake is a high school student who has a semi-popular web show discussing the possibility of aliens and supernatural occurrences. Velma Dinkley is Daphne's supportive yet critical online friend, who believes there is a logical explanation for everything. After Velma web chats Daphne following her latest episode, she reveals to Velma that her parents will be moving to Ridge Valley, where Velma currently goes to high school.

After having a perfect morning at home, Daphne embarks on her first day at Ridge Valley High. She quickly meets Carol, her senior advisor, who shows her the school's expansive collection of advanced technology from Bloom Innovative, a famous technology company headed by Tobias Bloom. While on her tour, Daphne runs into Velma, who does not speak to her. Later that afternoon, Daphne sees a student named Spencer walk into an open locker as if he were in a trance.

At home, Daphne's father reveals that he has sheltered Daphne all her life, going to extreme lengths to follow her around everywhere in an attempt to make Daphne's life "perfect". Shocked and frustrated at her father, Daphne vows to do everything on her own without her father's assistance. The next day, Daphne gets into a heated argument with Velma over their science project, which Velma intentionally sabotaged. The argument results in the girls getting sent to the principal's office, who puts them on "the best couch for conflict resolution". The girls put aside their differences, and Velma reveals she was protecting Daphne because she knew of the strange happenings at the school. Daphne and Velma vow to solve the mystery of the disappearing students.

The girls notice Spencer acting unnaturally robotic, and suspect another student named Griffin Griffiths. Griffin's family have a legacy receiving an internship from Bloom Innovative, which Spencer was currently slated to be offered. Daphne and Velma follow Griffin around, but he also goes into the same locker as Spencer and disappears, ruling him out as the suspect.

The girls realize the only way to figure out who is behind the disappearances is for Velma to be in the running to receive the Bloom internship, by placing herself on top the Bloom Bracket, a competitive ranking system designed to grade students on academics and extracurriculars. Mikayla, a mutual friend of Daphne and Velma's, is currently on top of the Bloom Bracket. Daphne attempts to help Velma win the internship, though in the process, they have to sabotage other students to protect them. The plan works, and Velma rises up to second place. However, they are unable to push Mikayla out of the top spot due to her extensive extracurricular involvement and passion for art. As a back-up plan, the girls cut the power to Mikayla's art exhibit, but the plan backfires when they see a cloaked ghost.

Daphne and Velma discover a secret room while trying to escape from the ghost. With the ghost still chasing them, the girls devise a plan to trip the ghost. They find out that the ghost is actually Daphne's father in a bathrobe, who is still following Daphne around. After Daphne responds coldly, her father realizes that Daphne is capable of handling herself, and he was simply frightened for her and wanted to shelter her from the world. Daphne web chats her mother, who is captured by Tobias Bloom. The girls realize Bloom is behind the disappearances, and go to his company headquarters with the help of Daphne's father.

The girls confront Tobias Bloom after sneaking into the headquarters, but discover he is simply a hologram. Daphne and Velma find Carol, who reveals that she created Bloom Innovative and posed as a student at Ridge Valley High. She attempted to use the cover of the company to kidnap students and steal their inventive ideas to get rich and famous. Carol is apprehended by police.

The girls return to the newly reformed school, and reunite with Mikayla and Spencer. Daphne and Velma return home from school to see that their computer screen is hacked by a possibly real phantom, who threatens the girls to stay away. Not frightened by the apparition, the girls vow to investigate the mystery.

Cast

Production

On November 28, 2017, it was announced that Daphne & Velma would be released sometime in 2018. The film was announced to be a prequel spin-off of the classic Scooby-Doo franchise, which would focus only on the two female lead characters. [3] Sarah Gilman and Sarah Jeffery were cast as Velma and Daphne, respectively. [5] On March 27, 2018, a release date of May 22, 2018 was set for the film to be released on DVD, Blu-Ray and digital platforms. [13] In an interview with Icon Vs. Icon that took place five days before the release of the film, Sarah Gilman revealed that the movie was filmed in 17 or 18 days. Gilman additionally mentioned that the film was intended to be empowering for women and young girls, stating that "This is a really good film in that it shows two young, strong females who aren't constantly talking about boys or are damsels in distress who are waiting for someone to rescue them. They are proactive and fast-thinking. They are very real characters who are scared at times but find their strength and inner courage to keep moving forward and kind of control their own destiny. I think that's a really important message in the media right now for young females because, historically, we haven't seen much of it. I'm hoping that is the message that anyone can take away from this film!" [14]

Reception

Danielle Solzman of Solzy At The Movies positively reviewed the film, praising it for its acting and message of female empowerment. Solzman states "The film could not come at a better time for women. Even though new stories are being told, the script stays true to the history...Sarah Gilman is absolutely astonishing in her approach to Velma Dinkley. The actress takes what we love about the character and makes it her own. It ought to be a performance that fans will come to enjoy as the franchise goes in this new direction". [15]

Andrews Shearer of the Augusta Chronicle additionally praised the strong female characters in the film. "By not including the other members of Mystery Incorporated, Daphne & Velma breaks out of the decades-old template viewers are used to (not a single reference to the male characters in the franchise is made) and forges its own refreshing path, owing more to indie flicks like Ghost World than the source material. Unlike the previous two theatrical Scooby-Doo films that aimed to be as faithful to the classic cartoons as possible, Daphne & Velma puts the focus on empowered female relationships and images of women in technology, effectively dismantling nearly every trope of high school movies along the way". [16]

Renee Schonfeld of Common Sense Media panned the film, giving it two stars out of five. Schonfeld derides the spin-off, stating despite the fact that, "The Two Sarahs (Jeffery and Gilman) as Daphne and Velma give it their all... a routine story, cheesy effects, and subpar writing let them down". [17]

Related Research Articles

<i>Scooby-Doo</i> American animated media franchise

Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise owned by Warner Bros. Entertainment and created in 1969 by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears through their animated series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, for Hanna-Barbera. The series features four teenagers: Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley, and Shaggy Rogers, and their talking Great Dane named Scooby-Doo, who solve mysteries involving supposedly supernatural creatures through a series of antics and missteps, while traveling using a brightly colored van called the "Mystery Machine". The franchise has several live-action films and shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daphne Blake</span> Fictional character on Scooby-Doo

Daphne Blake is a fictional character in the Scooby-Doo franchise. Daphne, depicted as coming from a wealthy family, is noted for her beauty, red hair, purple heels, fashion sense, and her knack for getting into danger, hence the nickname "Danger-Prone Daphne".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Velma Dinkley</span> Fictional character from Scooby-Doo

Velma Dinkley is a fictional character in the Scooby-Doo franchise. She is usually seen wearing a baggy orange turtleneck sweater, a short red pleated skirt, knee high socks, Mary Jane shoes, and a pair of black square glasses, which she frequently loses and is unable to see without. She is seen as the "brains" of the group.

<i>A Pup Named Scooby-Doo</i> American animated mystery comedy television series

A Pup Named Scooby-Doo is an American animated mystery comedy series produced by Hanna-Barbera. It is the eighth incarnation of the studio's Scooby-Doo franchise and depicts younger versions of the title character and his companions as they solve mysteries, similar to the original television series. The series was developed by Tom Ruegger and premiered on September 10, 1988, airing for three seasons on ABC and during the syndicated block The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera until August 17, 1991.

<i>Scooby-Doo! and the Witchs Ghost</i> 1999 animated film

Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost is a 1999 American direct-to-video animated supernatural horror comedy film, and the second of the direct-to-video films based upon Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoons. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons and Warner Bros. Animation. The film was released on VHS on October 5, 1999, then on DVD on March 6, 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heather North</span> American actress (1945–2017)

Heather May North was an American actress. She is known for voicing Daphne Blake in the Scooby-Doo franchise.

<i>The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo</i> American animated television series

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, and the seventh incarnation of the studio's Scooby-Doo franchise. It premiered on September 7, 1985, and ran for one season on ABC as a half-hour program. Thirteen episodes of the show were made in 1985. It replaced The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries and aired alongside Scooby's Mystery Funhouse, a repackaging of earlier shows.

<i>Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico</i> 2003 American film

Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico is a 2003 American direct-to-video animated adventure film; the sixth in a series of direct-to-video films based upon the Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoons. It was released on September 30, 2003, and it was produced by Warner Bros. Animation.

<i>Scooby-Doo! and the Loch Ness Monster</i> 2004 American film

Scooby-Doo! and the Loch Ness Monster is a 2004 direct-to-video animated comedy mystery film, and the seventh direct-to-video film based upon the Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoons. It was released on June 22, 2004, and it was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Unlike the previous two films, it is not in the "classic format", and does not have the 1969 voice cast, and instead has Mystery Inc. voiced by their regular voice actors, and has them wearing their outfits from What's New, Scooby Doo?. It is also the first film to have Mindy Cohn voice Velma Dinkley, the What's New, Scooby Doo? theme song, and the film has Grey DeLisle returning to voice Daphne Blake since Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase.

<i>Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins</i> American TV film

Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins is a 2009 American made-for-television comedy horror mystery film directed by Brian Levant. It is based on the cartoon series Scooby-Doo by Hanna-Barbera and is a reboot to the films Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. The film reveals how the Mystery Inc. gang met and the events of their first case. The live-action cast features Nick Palatas as Shaggy, Robbie Amell as Fred, Hayley Kiyoko as Velma, and Kate Melton as Daphne. Scooby-Doo was created using computer-generated imagery and his voice is provided by Frank Welker, who was a cast member of the original animated series. A sequel, Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster, was released in October 2010.

<i>Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo</i> 2010 American film

Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo is a 2010 direct-to-DVD animated comedy horror mystery fantasy film, and the fourteenth entry in a series of direct-to-video animated films based upon the Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoons. The film is directed by Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone. It was produced in 2009 by Warner Bros. Animation and it was released on February 16, 2010. It made its television debut on July 10, 2010 on Cartoon Network. The film performed well on iTunes, reaching the Top 10 on the Kids & Family film charts and the Top 40 on the iTunes film charts. The DVD sold 61,341 units in its first week and as of January 2013, it has sold approximately 433,000 units.

<i>Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders</i> 2000 American film

Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders is a 2000 American direct-to-video animated science fiction romantic comedy mystery film. It is the third direct-to-video film based on Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoons. The film was produced by Warner Bros. Animation in association with Hanna-Barbera. It is the third of the first four Scooby-Doo direct-to-video films to be animated overseas by Japanese animation studio Mook Animation. Unlike the previous films and despite the grimmer atmosphere, it has a lighter tone since it's real monsters that are on Mystery Inc.'s side and the disguised human beings are the main villains.

<i>Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur</i> 2011 American TV series or program

Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur is a 2011 American animated mystery television film based on Scooby-Doo. The film was released on September 6, 2011. It premiered on Cartoon Network on September 3, 2011.

The animated series Scooby-Doo has been adapted and appeared in five feature-length films since its debut in 1969, not including the series of animated direct-to-video films that have been in production since 1998, or the four animated television films produced from 1987 to 1994.

Sarah Baldwin Gilman is an American actress. She is known for her role as Delia in the Disney Channel series I Didn't Do It.

<i>Lego Scooby-Doo! Haunted Hollywood</i> 2016 American film

Lego Scooby-Doo! Haunted Hollywood is a 2016 American animated comedy mystery film. It is the twenty-sixth entry in the direct-to-video series of Scooby-Doo films, and the first based on the Scooby-Doo brand of Lego. The first trailer was released on February 23. The film was released on DVD, Blu-ray and digitally on May 10. This is the first non-TV Scooby-Doo themed production to feature Kate Micucci as the voice of Velma Dinkley, following Mindy Cohn's retirement from the role in 2015, with Micucci having assumed the role in Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! the same year.

<i>Scooby-Doo! and the Curse of the 13th Ghost</i> American animated direct-to-video film based on The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo

Scooby-Doo! and the Curse of the 13th Ghost is a 2019 American animated direct-to-video comedy mystery film produced by Warner Bros. Animation and distributed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, and the thirty-second entry in the direct-to-video series of Scooby-Doo films. The film is a continuation of the 1985 animated television series The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, designed to provide a conclusion to the show's unfinished storyline. The film was released on DVD and digital on February 5, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lego Scooby-Doo</span> Lego theme

Lego Scooby-Doo was a Lego theme based on the Scooby-Doo franchise created by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears. It is licensed from Warner Bros. Animation and Hanna-Barbera. The theme was first introduced in August 2015. The toy line was accompanied by several shorts, a television special and films based on Lego Scooby-Doo. The Lego Scooby-Doo theme was discontinued by the end of 2017.

<i>Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo!</i> 2022 American film

Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! is a 2022 American animated direct-to-video supernatural horror comedy mystery film produced by Warner Bros. Animation and distributed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. It is the thirty-seventh direct-to-video Scooby-Doo film and was released digitally on October 4, 2022, and was released on DVD on October 18, 2022.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Daphne & Velma". Newport Beach Film Festival . Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Daphne and Velma (DVD)". Amazon . United States. 22 May 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Cecchini, Mike (November 28, 2017). "Daphne and Velma: Scooby-Doo Prequel Movie Coming". Den of Geek. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  4. ↑ Marc, Christopher (November 7, 2017). "EXCLUSIVE: 'Daphne and Velma' To Face Zombies In New Movie Shooting In Georgia". Omega Underground. Archived from the original on September 9, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  5. 1 2 Pedersen, Erik (November 28, 2017). "'Daphne And Velma': 'Scooby-Doo' Duo's Live-Action Origin Tale Set From WB's Blue Ribbon Content & Blondie Girl". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Daphne and Velma from 'Scooby-Doo' are Getting Their Own Movie". Film School Rejects . November 29, 2017. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  7. ↑ Schmidt, JK (November 28, 2017). "Live-Action Scooby Doo Origin Movie 'Daphne and Velma' Coming in 2018". ComicBook.com. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  8. ↑ Evangelista, Chris (November 28, 2017). "WTF: Live-Action Daphne and Velma Movie Coming from Ashley Tisdale". /Film . Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  9. ↑ Feldman, Kate (November 28, 2017). "'Scooby-Doo' spinoff movie about Daphne and Velma in the works". New York Daily News . Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  10. 1 2 Highfill, Samantha (March 26, 2018). "Daphne & Velma: Scooby-Doo Mystery Gang members get their own movie". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  11. ↑ "World Premiere of "Daphne & Velma"". C2E2 . Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  12. ↑ Musnicky, Sarah (March 27, 2018). "Daphne & Velma Digital and Blu-ray Release Details". ComingSoon.net . Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Daphne & Velma Digital and Blu-ray Release Details". ComingSoon.net. 27 March 2018.
  14. ↑ "DAPHNE & VELMA: Sarah Gilman On Bringing An Iconic Character To The Screen!". IconVsIcon. 17 May 2018.
  15. ↑ "C2E2: Daphne and Velma: Life Before Scooby-Doo - Solzy at the Movies". Solzy At The Movies. 8 April 2018.
  16. ↑ Shearer, Andrew. "Film Review: "Daphne & Velma"". Augusta Chronicle.
  17. ↑ Schonfeld, Renee. "Live-action tale about high school besties has peril". Common Sense Media. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.