In honor of their singular skills and dedication to solving all things mysterious, the gang is honored at a red carpet affair at the Coolsonian Criminology Museum, where the costumes of all the creepy villains they have unmasked over the years are being exhibited to the public for the first time. The lavish display includes elaborate costumes from such fiendish foes as the Black Knight Ghost, the Skelemen, the Pterodactyl Ghost, Captain Cutler’s Ghost, and Miner 49er.

Mystery Inc. is at the height of their success. Unfortunately, somebody with a serious grudge against the gang wants to take them down.

When the Pterodactyl Ghost costume suddenly transforms into a real prehistoric predator and terrorizes the party guests, the gang finds themselves the target of revenge. An Evil Masked Figure appears at the museum and faults Mystery Inc. for the attack.
But that’s only the beginning – the enigmatic villain has created a monster-making machine that he uses to unleash an army of otherworldly creatures on Coolsville, and he convinces the public that their local heroes are to blame.

To restore their reputation and save Coolsville from ruin, the gang must solve the mystery and expose the Evil Masked Figure…but they’ll be forced to face a posse of angry fiends in the process.

“The gang has to confront old enemies in a very new way,” notes screenwriter James Gunn, who worked closely with director Raja Gosnell and producers Charles Roven and Richard Suckle to hone the Scooby-Doo 2 script and create “an even more compelling mystery” for Mystery Inc.’s second big screen adventure.

“We all agreed that we wanted to raise the bar on the second Scooby-Doo movie,” Roven elaborates. “The story had to strike the right balance of giving audiences what they’ve come to expect from the characters based on the cartoon series, and what they’ve come to expect based on the success of the first film.”

“As we developed the mystery for the sequel, I had an idea that we would somehow bring back the classic monsters from the cartoon,” Gosnell remembers. “At the same time, I wanted all of the main characters to have real, compelling character arcs, and we wanted the theme of the story to be one that both kids and adults could relate to.”

Gosnell pitched his ambitious idea to Gunn, who combined the director’s concept with classic elements from the cartoon, and added a stylish 21st century twist.

As Roven describes it, “James came up with a premise that incorporated classic villains and monsters from the show and allowed for the Mystery Inc. gang to face real emotional challenges as they confront this monster outbreak that’s destroying Coolsville and ruining their reputation.”

“Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed is the story of people being unmasked in many different ways,” Gunn says. “Not only does the gang have to solve this mystery and identify the villain who is creating these monsters, but they have to confront the fact that they each have their own ways of putting on masks for other people.”

“As the gang discovers, success can be fleeting, and it doesn’t necessarily define you,” Suckle adds. “In the process of solving the mystery, they learn that what they perceive to be their weaknesses are actually their strengths.”

Known as much for their cowardliness as for their insatiable appetites, Norville “Shaggy” Rogers and his canine companion Scooby-Doo are “the heart and soul of the gang,” says Roven, even if they occasionally mess up Mystery Inc.’s carefully-laid plans. (Okay, more than just occasionally.) “One of the things that makes Shaggy and Scooby so appealing is that they’re not superheroes. Even though we all might dream of being Superman or Spider-Man or Batman, we have frailties. Shaggy and Scooby are always scared and they’re always hungry. There’s a little bit of that in all of us.”

In their typically charming but misguided way, the clueless buddies set out to prove to the gang that they’re worthy of being part of Mystery Inc. after causing a major mishap at the Coolsonian monster exhibit. “Shaggy and Scooby vow that they’re going to become great detectives, just like their heroes – Fred, Daphne and Velma,” Gosnell says. “They set out to prove themselves, but every time, they get it wrong. Sometimes they get it way wrong.”

“Shaggy and Scooby think that the way to be heroes is to be tough, to find the clues, to defeat the monsters,” Gunn says. “But they ultimately discover that they’ve been heroes to their friends all along. Velma, Fred and Daphne admire them for the way they’re free with themselves, for their sense of humor and their loyalty.”

As Shaggy and Scooby struggle to find the courage to be themselves, “their storyline accentuates their emotional connection more than we did in the first movie,” notes Matthew Lillard. “I’m also doing a lot more physical comedy than I did originally, which is really exciting for me.”

Excitement abounds for Velma Dinkley, the group’s resident intellectual and gadgetry whiz, who sheds her signature spectacles and orange turtleneck not for the sake of the investigation, but rather for…love. “In this movie, we discover that Velma’s biggest fear is intimacy,” Linda Cardellini reveals. “She loves solving mysteries, and she’s great when she has to lead with her head, but she’s not so good when she has to lead with her heart.”

When sparks fly between Velma and Coolsonian Museum curator Patrick Wisely, the normally level-headed detective jumps to the conclusion that Patrick likes her because he thinks she’s a mysterious jet-set adventurer. With help from her more socially sophisticated cohort Daphne, Velma transforms herself into the image of a glamorous Bond girl, complete with high heels and a sleek red cat suit.

“Daphne tries in her indomitable way to turn Velma into the epitome of glamour, not realizing that when someone really likes you, they like you for who you are and not for what you look like,” Sarah Michelle Gellar explains.

“In trying to impress Patrick, Velma does some unusual things for Velma to do,” Cardellini says. “But it’s obvious that she isn’t very honest about herself. She feels awkward and finds that perhaps she’s better off in her orange turtleneck. Meanwhile, as she’s dealing with her emotions, she’s also trying to solve the mystery and has to accept the fact that Patrick is a key suspect.”

As Gosnell sees it, “Velma’s storyline is like a mini-romantic comedy in the middle of this big action adventure. Her transformation is funny and heartbreaking at the same time, because it just doesn’t fit her at all.”

No one takes Mystery Inc.’s fall from grace harder than image-conscious Daphne, who worries that the harsh glare of un-popularity will expose her flaws. “Daphne appears to be more self-assured than she was in the first film, but she’s also learned how to hide her lack of confidence better,” Roven muses.

“Things are definitely changing for Daphne,” Gellar agrees. “In the first movie, she was very insecure about herself and her role in the gang. She learned that she could trust herself, defend herself and be more that just ‘the pretty one.’ In the sequel, Daphne starts out believing that all that matters is how people look at you, not how you feel or what is important to you. Through this adventure, she realizes that you have to like yourself for other people to like and accept you. It’s a wonderful and important lesson.”

Meanwhile, leader of the pack Fred Jones suffers his own crisis of confidence. “At the beginning of the story, Fred has achieved everything he thinks defines success, and then suddenly it’s ripped away from him,” Freddie Prinze Jr. says. “He puts on this macho façade because he’s afraid that if he admits that he’s worried or scared, no one in Coolsville will think he’s cool.”

“During the first film, Fred took a lot of the credit for Mystery Inc.’s success, and he has since become more humble and more sharing,” says Suckle. “We wanted to capitalize on Freddie’s natural charisma by making Fred more charming. He’s still the leader, but he’s less pompous. When the Evil Masked Figure turns Coolsville against the gang, Fred tries maintain this macho front, because he’s afraid to show the softer side of himself to Daphne.”

Likewise, Daphne fears that if the gang isn’t popular, Fred won’t like her anymore. “Both Fred and Daphne have popularity issues,” Gunn relates. “They’re the front persons for the gang, and then suddenly the media turns against them and their reputation is diminished. But at the end of the movie, they realize that popularity isn’t so important; what is important is their relationship with each other and their friends.”

Fred and Daphne’s interwoven storylines bring the characters together in a subtle evolution of their cartoon relationship. “In the first film, we treated Fred and Daphne as separate entities, but in Scooby 2, they’re much more of a couple,” Gosnell explains. “They support each other, protect and advise each other. When things go wrong, they feel each other’s pain, and they work together to get things back on track.”

Ultimately, the intrepid sleuths of Mystery Inc. overcome their individual insecurities to square off against their past and present foes. “By the end of the movie, everyone realizes that they work best as a team, with each person playing a significant part,” Prinze says.

“There’s a lot of heart in Scooby-Doo 2,” Gunn assures. “At the core of this story about monsters wreaking havoc is a story about friendships and people learning to be comfortable being themselves.”

“It’s not just for kids,” Gellar says of the film’s theme of self-acceptance. “Sometimes adults need reminding that image isn’t everything; it has to come from within. I’m happy and proud to be able to put that message out there, especially with a character like Daphne, who puts so much of her self-worth in her exterior.”

New Friends...Or Foes?
The Evil Masked Figure’s thirst for revenge triggers his fiendish plot to launch a monster attack that will paralyze the citizens of Coolsville with fear and blame Mystery Inc. for causing the disaster. But who could perpetrate such a diabolical scheme?

The gang’s got their hands and paws full trying to decipher clues and identify the true villain from a host of suspects. “We’ve got great suspects that will keep the audience guessing as to who is behind all the mayhem until the very end of the movie,” Suckle promises.

Seth Green (Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery) stars as Patrick Wisely, Coolsville Museum curator and the man who drives Velma to distraction (and high fashion). “Patrick has a big ol’ crush on Velma,” says Green. “He’s also very concerned about being close to Mystery Inc. at all times, presumably to get to know Velma better and gain her confidence and trust.”

“As the curator of the Coolsonian Museum, Patrick Wisely has access to all of the costumes that ultimately metamorphosize into the real monsters that attack Coolsville,” Roven says. “We’re not sure whether he wants to be near Velma as an alibi, to create better access to the things he needs to create the monsters, or because he has a genuine interest in her.”

Unfortunately, Patrick gives Velma plenty of reasons to consider him the prime suspect. “Patrick makes his entrance in a slow motion walk across the room, and Velma’s eyes light up in a kind of love-at-first-sight moment,” Gosnell describes. “They’re both very intelligent, and when they converse, you can feel the spark between them. But when the Pterodactyl Ghost disrupts the exhibit, Patrick is nowhere to be seen.”

“Seth brought a level of authority and a slightly sinister air to this nerdy character, which makes Patrick a really interesting suspect,” Gosnell says. “He’s able to adapt to the style of the actors he is working with, which is a sign of his experience and skill. For example, Matt likes to ad lib a lot, and Seth was able to fire back and forth with him, ad-libbing throughout their scenes.”

“I can honestly say that everything funny that I do in this movie is probably Seth’s brainchild,” says Gellar, who has known Green since she was seven. “He embodies so much, I can’t even describe it.”

“It was excellent working with Seth,” Cardellini affirms. “Our characters are so awkward and yet so sweet. We had a ball doing our scenes together.”

Between scenes, Green participated in Scrabble tournaments Cardellini hosted in her trailer. “I play the smart one,” she jokes, “so if I didn’t win, it was a tough day on set.”

Green, who co-starred on Buffy the Vampire Slayer for two seasons alongside Gellar and previously worked with Freddie Prinze Jr. on the film To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, found it easy to fit in with the gang. (He has also known Matthew Lillard for several years.) “The fact that I’m not playing an established character from the cartoon series also helps me because I have a lot more freedom to create my own distinct character.”

None of the suspects causes the gang more grief than investigative reporter Heather Jasper-Howe, played by popular actress Alicia Silverstone (Clueless, Miss Match). The confrontational tabloid journalist always seems to be on the scene when the monster poop hits the fan. “Heather comes off as sweet and genuine, but at the same time, you’re not sure if you can trust her,” Suckle says.

“Is she simply reporting the problems that Mystery Inc. is having in solving the monster outbreak, or is she contributing to them?” Roven asks cryptically.

As the monstrous situation escalates, Heather presses Fred for comments about Mystery Inc.’s progress on the case. “She takes Fred’s comments out of context, which turns Coolsville against the gang,” Prinze says.

Whether Heather is just an overzealous reporter after a juicy story or an evil genius hell-bent on destruction, she doesn’t endear herself to Daphne. “Alicia can do so much with just a look,” Gosnell says. “Her role is a bit catty and a bit charming, and she did a great job, especially in filming Heather’s catfights with Daphne.”

“Because Alicia and I like each other so much, it made it that much more fun to be catty and go to that not-trusting girl place,” says Gellar. “We had to shoot one of our encounters on the first day we worked together, when we didn’t know each other very well. So after each take, we’d both say ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t really mean to look at you like that!’ Then we got to the point where one of us would say ‘You could look at me nastier. Go on, give it to me!’”

“Alicia is charming, charismatic and wonderful to be around,” says Matthew Lillard, who previously worked with Silverstone on Love’s Labour’s Lost.

The feeling is mutual. “The opportunity to work with Matthew again was really exciting, especially after I saw what an amazing job he did in Scooby-Doo,” says Silverstone, a self-proclaimed dog lover. “I love the relationship between Shaggy and Scooby; it’s so sweet.”

Legendary actor Peter Boyle (Everybody Loves Raymond, Young Frankenstein, Taxi Driver) plays quintessential Scooby-Doo villain Jeremiah “Old Man” Wickles, formerly the Black Knight Ghost. Unmasked by Mystery Inc., Wickles spent time in jail and doesn’t exactly have fond feelings for his old captors. “He thinks Mystery Inc. is a pain in the ass,” Boyle says, cutting right to the chase. “They’re irritating and they make trouble. Wickles is fun to play because he can be a little exaggerated without being over the top.”

“Even though he’s somewhat of a nasty fellow and a bit insane, Old Man Wickles has got a little spark of soul,” says screenwriter James Gunn. “He warns Shaggy and Scooby against repeating his mistake. He pretended to be powerful and important as the Black Knight Ghost because he didn’t feel that way about himself.”

“He could be a guy who has learned from his mistakes and is now trying to go straight,” Suckle suggests. “Or he could be the guy who masterminded this great methodology for revenge.”

Jinkies - Monsters
What better way to make Mystery Inc. look like a bunch of incompetent nincompoops than animating many of the monsters the meddling gang has unmasked over the years and inciting them to riot in Coolsville?

Not only do the terrified citizens have the Evil Masked Figure to fear, but they must face the real live – and real mean – monsters themselves.

“Every monster has a bone to pick with Mystery Inc. because each one was originally unmasked as a villain in a monster costume,” cautions producer Charles Roven.

The many monstrous, creepy and ghostly creatures unleashed in Scooby-Doo 2 are a combination of live-action “practical” fiends (actors wearing intricate wardrobe and prosthetics) and monsters created in post-production via CGI. “The monsters in the film are very true to the way they looked in the cartoon, which was really important to me, so fans will recognize them from their favorite episodes,” says Prinze, a renowned Scooby-Doo aficionado.

“Taking these cartoon creatures and transforming them into three-dimensional characters was a challenge,” acknowledges Gosnell, whose favorite fiends are the comedically ghoulish Skelemen. “The visual effects complexities are ten times those of the first film, because we have multiple CGI monsters that aren’t just a moving piece of mud or a wave of water – they actually have to act.”

In bringing Scooby-Doo 2’s cabal of creepy creatures to life, Gosnell and company needed to find a credible way to bring continuity to both the costumed and computer generated fiends. To this end, the visual effects team laced the army of goons with “randomonium gas,” a crucial component in the Evil Masked Figure’s monster-generating machine. “The randomonium gas is what brings the monsters to life, so they all kind of ooze it,” Gosnell explains. “It’s their unifying characteristic.”

Various visual effects houses designed the film’s state-of-the-art CGI monsters, such as the 10,000 Volt Ghost, a powerful foe who electrocutes everything he touches and has the ability to travel through electrical circuitry; the cyclops-like Skelemen, a dastardly duo often distracted by their own slapstick rivalry; the dimwitted but formidable Tar Monster, who traps his quarry in pools of sticky liquid; the Pterodactyl Ghost, whose giant wingspan and sinister shrieks terrorize the citizens of Coolsville; and the all-too-aptly named Cotton Candy Glob.

Practically speaking, costume designer Leesa Evans created larger-than-life attire (complete with tube rigging to release smoke, special lighting effects and glow-in-the-dark paint) for the actors who portrayed Captain Cutler’s Ghost, a deep sea diver who wears a diving helmet and wields a spear gun; Miner 49er, a fire-breathing goldminer with a gargantuan belly; the vomit-spewing Zombie and the Black Knight Ghost, the Evil Masked Figure’s chief henchman. (The Black Knight Ghost was enhanced in post-production to add a ghostly void where his torso meets his waist.)

A glowing effect was added to the practical monsters in post-production, and Miner 49er and Captain Cutler’s Ghost were also given a transparent quality.

Nearly all of the costume displays gracing the interior of the vast and spectacular Coolsonian were designed by Evans’ Scooby-Doo 2 wardrobe team. The classic foes on display include Chickenstein, the Creeper, the Ghost Clown, the Ghost of Doctor Coffin, the Highlander Ghost, the Mermaid, the Mortician, the Ozark Witch, the Phantom, Pumpkinhead, the Rambling Ghost, Redbeard’s Ghost, Spooky Space Ghost, the Viking Chief, the Warlock, Warrior Queen, the Werewolf, the Wizard, and Zen-Tuo.

Designing A World Of Mystery
In addition to designing all the practical monster costumes in Scooby-Doo 2, costume designer Leesa Evans slyly updated Mystery Inc.’s trademark outfits by creating stylish but subtle variations on the wardrobe in the characters’ classic color palettes: red, white and blue for Fred; trademark orange and red for Velma; purple for Daphne; and brown and green for Shaggy.

“In the first film, we stuck to the classic look of the cartoon characters when we brought them into the live action world,” Roven notes. “With that look firmly established, we wanted to create more contemporary clothing for Mystery Inc. in Scooby-Doo 2. Leesa designed outfits that would look natural even if the characters were walking down your street.”

“Leesa evolved the wardrobe based on the characters’ development,” Gosnell says. “Mystery Inc. is more accomplished, so Fred has branched out and now he’s sponsored by a clothing design company. Daphne is more sophisticated, and everything she wears is cooler and flows even better.”

Considerable thought was given to one aspect of Fred’s wardrobe: to ascot or not to ascot. “A lot of people wanted Fred to lose the ascot, but I didn’t,” Prinze says. “So we decided to make a couple of homages to the ascot in the film. One is very Sergio Leone.”
Unlike the Spooky Island theme park setting of Scooby-Doo, Scooby-Doo 2 is set in Coolsville, Mystery Inc.’s home turf. The town was rarely seen in the cartoon series, limited to glimpses of a malt shop and a couple of school settings. The filmmakers asked Scooby-Doo production designer Bill Boes to reprise his role on the ambitious sequel and bring his inimitable vision to Coolsville. The result is a colorfully innovative set design with a surreal twist.

“Bill has a very unique eye,” Roven believes. “We call it the ‘Boesian Eye.’ His work has a distinct signature to it, which is the mark of a great production designer. Bill has truly outdone himself with this film.”

Known for his meticulous attention to detail, Boes and the Scooby-Doo 2 art department created 60 sets for the production, with the principal interiors being built and housed on three Vancouver sound stages and the exteriors dressed at various locations in and around the city. Boes assigned a specific color scheme to each set, such as the stylish, modern interior of the high tech Mystery Inc. headquarters. (Like Coolsville, the gang’s home base was never seen in the TV series.)

“We assigned different character colors to various parts of the set, and we selected furniture, colors, textures and decorations very carefully, because they say a lot about who the individual members of Mystery Inc. are,” Boes says. “Fred is in the center, being the round blue hub of everything; Daphne’s got her purple colors in the relaxation area; Shaggy and Scooby have the yellow kitchen and green reclining area; and Velma has the orange-toned lab.”

The script also called for a scene to take place in Mystery Inc.’s abandoned high school clubhouse, where the gang regroups after being driven out of Coolsville by the Evil Masked Figure and his monster army. The exterior set was built right in the middle of Vancouver’s famously picturesque Stanley Park.

Boes and company cleverly transformed the Vancouver Art Gallery into the exterior of the Coolsonian Criminology Museum for the film’s opening sequence, in which Mystery Inc. arrives at the lavish red carpet exhibit opening in true celebrity style.

The visual highlight of the vast museum interior set is the collection of unmasked villain costumes, presented in illuminated display cases that feature placards detailing each costume and where and when the Mystery Inc. gang unmasked its nefarious owner. “Bill is so detailed, the 10,000 Volt Ghost display has a filing cabinet next to him, which calls back to the original show,” Suckle marvels. “In that episode, the 10,000 Volt Ghost chases Shaggy and Scooby in and out of a filing cabinet.”

One of the film’s most elaborate sets is the sprawling Old Tyme Mining Towne, the amusement park owned by Old Man Wickles, where the gang very nearly meets their doom. Located at Britannia Beach along the breathtaking Sea-to-Sky coastal highway leading to the Whistler ski resort (the future home of the 2010 Olympics), the site actually houses the British Columbia Museum of Mining.

In a Boes-ishly clever use of the existing buildings and the old mine exterior itself, the designer and his team constructed an entire town, complete with rickety weathered storefronts, tumbleweeds and rusting mine machinery. The additions looked so realistic that many tourists stopped to ask if it was an original part of the historic mine.

Also scoring high on the Creep-o-meter is Wickles’ Manor, a mansion filled with miles of dusty old books, cobweb-draped gargoyles and hints of faded elegance. “Old Man Wickles’ mansion is my favorite set,” says Cardellini. “There are oil paintings on the walls that look like beautiful landscapes, but if you look closely enough, you’ll see something really off about each of them – like a UFO or a serpent eating a pirate ship – that makes it the perfect amount of creepy.”

About The Production
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed was filmed over a period of 73 days from April 14th to July 28th in Vancouver, British Columbia. A significant portion of the production was devoted to filming the bevy of run-for-your-life chases, chilling monster confrontations, hair-raising action and otherworldly high-jinx that are the hallmarks of the Scooby-Doo oeuvre.

A sequence in which the Pterodactyl Ghost terrorizes the guests at the Coolsonian Museum exhibit called for Shaggy and Scooby to be dragged across a buffet table as they attempt to tie down the shrieking wraith with a rope. “I spent three days flying around the room, being dragged over open flames and food and crashing through windows,” Matthew Lillard recalls with a certain amount of glee. “The body gets a little beaten up, but those are the most exciting days of shooting.”
Stunt coordinator J.J. Makaro supervised the execution of this scene, which was achieved through the use of a special flying harness created by the special effects team. “It’s what they call an XYZ system, which means that the harness allows you to fly in all directions: front, back and side to side, as well as up and down,” Makaro explains. “Matthew had to do a lot of flying in that rig, and he brought even more comedy to the scene. It was fun and easy collaborating with him.”

Lillard also relished shooting an elaborate chase sequence that finds Shaggy and Scooby skating down a steep hill on trashcan lids with the Skelemen in hot pursuit. “I kind of surfed down this hill and then had to jump into safety mats,” he says. “That was exciting to me. I would go to work and think, ‘Wow, this is different than any other job in America. I jump off the side of a cliff, and somebody catches me at the bottom.’”

The Pterodactyl Ghost causes further mayhem when he chases the Mystery Machine through the streets of Coolsville. In classic Scooby-Doo fashion, the gang is thrown from the back of the van and barely hang on to the shag-a-delic interior as Scooby is forced to take the wheel. (And let’s just say Scooby is no Mario Andretti.)

“One of my favorite nights of filming was when Freddie, Sarah, Matt and I were dragged behind the Mystery Machine on a carpet,” Cardellini confesses.

“We were basically surfing on this carpet that’s been pulled out from the van,” Gellar elaborates. “We got to spend an entire night in Chinatown with all of us harnessed to this van that was driving pretty fast down a very pot-holey street, and we were like little kids, screaming ‘Faster! Go faster!’ It was like being on a roller coaster all day.”

Of the six vans used in filming the Mystery Machine, one was a “blind driver van,” which was designed and fabricated specifically to give Scooby the appearance of driving during the Pterodactyl chase sequence. The engine, transmission, cooling system and components were removed from the front engine compartment and relocated behind the front seat. The van was also outfitted with a one-piece removable grill panel, from behind which a stunt driver navigated the vehicle, making it appear as if Scooby is driving. (The two “beauty vans” are 1989 Chevrolets sporting high tech interiors tricked out with computers, flat screen TVs and an array of sophisticated communications equipment.)

In choreographing Daphne’s valiant swordfight with the Black Knight Ghost at Wickles’ Manor, Makaro relied on Sarah Michelle Gellar’s extensive martial arts experience from her seven seasons of slaying sinister creatures on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

“The fight is quite complex,” he says. “There are a lot of actresses I wouldn’t have even considered putting in that kind of situation, but because of Sarah’s skills and experience, we were able to take it to a higher level.”

“I love doing stunts, and I love Gucci heels, but I don’t love doing stunts in Gucci heels!” Gellar jokes good-naturedly. “That’s been a new learning experience for me, but that’s one of the things that I’ve enjoyed most about making the Scooby-Doo movies. I love learning new forms of martial arts and new tricks.”

Freddie Prinze Jr. combined new tricks with old when filming a climactic joust with the Black Knight Ghost, which pits the ethereal gladiator against Fred, who mounts a motorcycle to combat his enemy, an even more imposing figure on horseback. Real lances were used for every shot except the actual clash, which is CGI.

“Freddie was very game,” Makaro confirms. “It turned out he didn’t need much practice because he’s had experience with bikes before, and he did a really crackerjack job.”

Linda Cardellini and Seth Green shared stunt work on a sequence in which Velma dives down a shaft, falls off a dilapidated catwalk and dangles precariously as Patrick tries to save her. “It was fairly treacherous,” Green says, deadpan. “My character is required to participate in quite a few stunts and high-jinx, the bulk of which I preferred to do myself when I could, probably more out of stupidity than bravado.”

In addition to all the screwball antics and scary monster action, Scooby-Doo 2 offers Scooby and the gang the chance to shake their groove things in two dynamic dance sequences. Both take place at The Faux Ghost, the seedy bar where all of the villains who have been unmasked by Mystery Inc. hang out. “It’s the place where these crabby old men complain about how Mystery Inc. ruined their lives, and at the same time, they relive the glory days of when they felt magical, powerful and important,” says screenwriter James Gunn.

Hoping to get a clue by going undercover, Shaggy and Scooby dress up as a pair of disco kings and try to pass themselves off at the Faux Ghost as former unmasked ghosts. But when Scooby gets pulled onto the dance floor, he boogies so passionately, he literally flips his (huge Afro) wig and jeopardizes the covert mission. The music that gives Scooby a bad case of disco fever was recorded and performed by U.K. sensations Big Brovaz, who cover Sly Stone’s classic “Thank You (Falletinme Be Mice Elf Agin).”

2003 American Idol Ruben Studdard rocks the film’s finale with a cover of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Shining Star,” which he recorded especially for the soundtrack. He also appears in the all-star dance sequence. “I’m not star struck too often, but when Ruben came to the set, I was star struck and so was everyone else,” admits producer Richard Suckle, who came up with the idea of pairing Studdard with the Scooby-Doo crew before the singer won American Idol. “His version of the song is great, and it taps into the theme of the movie. We were really lucky to have him.”

“When he came to the set, Ruben was lovely and so much fun,” remembers Gellar, who, along with the filmmakers, brought in a widescreen TV for the cast and crew to watch and root for Ruben on his climactic Idol episodes. “He’s everything you would expect from watching him on the show. He’s a big velvet teddy bear.”

The dynamic dance number was choreographed by Anne “Mama” Fletcher, whose diverse credits include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Six Feet Under and The Wedding Planner. “Not that I’m biased at all, but Anne Fletcher is the greatest choreographer of all time,” Gellar says.

“Mama is an amazing choreographer,” Suckle agrees. “Her energy is unlike anyone I’ve ever met.”

“What Raja wanted,” Fletcher explains, “was for a simple dance to start and flourish and get bigger and bigger and bigger until it turned into a huge Hollywood production number.”

“Mama choreographed and rehearsed the entire sequence with the dancers in just a couple of days,” Gosnell says. “It was really impressive, especially considering that Scooby dances too, and any time Scooby does anything, there are a lot of technical aspects to take into consideration. But Scooby’s a great dancer.”

Fletcher’s core group of performers included eleven professional dancers; actors Karin Konoval and Stephen E. Miller playing the characters of Aggie Wilkins and C.L. Magnus, respectively; and dancer Brianna English playing the part of Scooby. (English wore a Scooby suit and paws during her performance; the visual effects team later replaced her upper torso with Scooby’s.)

For the principal cast, Mama’s boundless upbeat energy was infectious. “The dance sequence was by far my favorite day of work ever,” Cardellini says. “I love to dance, especially as Velma, because she enjoys herself so much. At the point where the dance sequence occurs in the story, Velma has decided to just be herself, and her freedom to dance with wild abandon was so much fun to play.”

“You kind of get carried away for a second,” Peter Boyle says dryly. “You think you’re actually dancing, and then you look on the monitor and you see the reality.”

“Fortunately, I have Latin genes, so it didn’t take me long to pick up the dance steps,” jokes Prinze, who only had about 30 minutes to learn the routine due to his hectic shooting schedule.

In addition to the tracks from Ruben Studdard and Big Brovaz, the Scooby-Doo 2 soundtrack is powered by an upbeat mix of songs including “Don’t Wanna Think About You” by Simple Plan; New Radicals’ hit “You Get What You Give”; “Boom Shack-A-Lack” by Apache Indian; “Wooly Bully” by Bad Manners; and “Here We Go,” performed by Bowling For Soup.

Adding another key component to the mix is prolific composer David Newman, who provided the film’s score. “David is the perfect composer for this movie,” says Gosnell. “We wanted to try and hit every little beat or joke with some kind of musical comment. David is a master at weaving the funny with the scary and the dramatic, which is incredibly complex. Very few composers can do it.”

The Scooby-Doo 2 cast and producers credit director Raja Gosnell with creating an environment on set that fostered improvisation and infused the film with vibrant comedy, action and drama. “Raja allows a lot of freedom,” Linda Cardellini says. “One of his greatest strengths as a director is how open he is to everyone’s ideas. That and his calm demeanor.”

“I’ve enjoyed working with Raja a lot,” says Peter Boyle. “And I like his name.”

“I wouldn’t have done the second movie if Raja wasn’t directing it,” says Prinze. “Even though he was an editor before he started directing, he doesn’t cut the movie together in his head before he shoots it, which gives you the opportunity to try new things. If it works better than his original idea, he’ll use it. He respects others’ ideas as much as his own, which is nice as an actor.”

As producer Charles Roven notes, Gosnell’s personality and experience are as valuable as his collaborative approach. “Raja is incredibly warm, witty and funny. He’s not about mean-spirited humor. He understands physical humor as well as character humor, and he does it in a really warm, positive way. He’s also a great film editor, and to have that talent in your director is unique and invaluable.”

Another unique dynamic was brought to the film by Prinze and Gellar, who are married in real life and play high school sweethearts in the film. “The relationship between Fred and Daphne is really sweet and it grows over the course of the story,” says Roven. “Freddie and Sarah being together in real life adds a special aspect to their on-screen romance.”

“Fred and Daphne share a lovely moment at a climactic point in the film where they admit to each other that they’re really scared,” Gosnell says. “You really feel not only Fred and Daphne’s connection, but the love and trust that Freddie and Sarah have in for each other in their off-screen relationship.”

Equally endearing to the director is Linda Cardellini’s pitch-perfect performance. “Linda is utterly compelling,” Gosnell promises. “Like Velma, she’s a very good-hearted, funny lady.”

“It took me quite a while to get into character on the first movie, but Velma’s mannerisms and voice are like second nature to me now,” Cardellini says, holding up her index finger – a gesture that is “very important in the encyclopedia of Velma-isms,” she emphasizes. “Velma has a way of speaking that bounces up and down, but it’s very precise. She pronounces her s’s a little differently than I do too. It’s not necessarily a lisp, just a different pronunciation.”

Cardellini originally learned to capture Velma’s voice via a homemade “language CD” created by her boyfriend, who compiled signature Velma soundbites on a disc, followed by silence so Cardellini could repeat each phrase. “I learned how she spoke and tried to make it as real as possible, and somehow made her voice my own.”

Matthew Lillard drew raves from cast and crew alike for his uncanny performance as ultra laid-back power eater Norville “Shaggy” Roberts. “Working with Matthew as Shaggy is an absolute joy, because he just is Shaggy,” Gosnell says. “He thinks like a director, which is incredibly helpful. He’s always ready and always looking for another joke. If I’m staging a scene and he comes up with a way to improve it or find another joke, he’s not afraid to speak up. It’s great to have that collaboration.”

“Matthew walks the line between cartoon and reality with incredible grace and ease and humor,” Gellar concurs.

“He isn’t afraid to do anything,” marvels Cardellini. “Matthew takes all kinds of risks. It’s so much fun to see him go back and forth with Neil [Fanning, who performs the voice of Scooby-Doo both on set and in post-production]. It’s like watching my favorite cartoon characters in real life.”

In preparation for the extensive amount of comedic action that is required of Shaggy, Lillard turned to one of the masters. “Before coming to do the movie I watched a lot of Charlie Chaplin movies and studied his style of physical comedy. I think that’s really helped my physical comic timing, which was very useful.”

Lillard reports that transforming himself into Shaggy was slightly easier the second time around. “Last time we didn’t know what Scooby looked like or how Scooby would work and now that piece of the puzzle has been solved,” he explains. “It’s kind of like running a marathon; once you’ve done it, you know what to expect at the end of the day and you know how to train for it.”

One of the hazards of dedicating himself to the role so doggedly became more evident this time too. “Playing Shaggy twice now, I notice there’s a part of me that brings him home from work,” Lillard says. “I find my voice breaks continually and I’ll raise my pitch an octave when I make a joke. But I don’t generally speak to the air, which is what I did on set all day!”

Naturally, one the biggest challenges of playing a member of Mystery Inc., especially Scooby’s best pal Shaggy, is acting opposite a non-existent dog. Australian actor Neil Fanning invoked the spirit of the ravenous Great Dane and delivered his dialogue to provide emotional cues for the cast. “Neil made an enormous difference because so much of acting is the energy created between people, and Neil brought Scooby alive for all of us every day,” Lillard says.

“Matthew is just fantastic,” says Fanning. “He gives everyone so much to work with, and his comic timing is extraordinary. Scooby and Shaggy are best pals and rely on each other, so we tried to bring that feeling to the set. Matthew’s such a talented performer; it was a joy to work with him.”

Fanning, who also voiced Scooby-Doo in the first film, reveals that “creatively, I was given more freedom this time around. When we rehearsed each scene, I’d use the script as a guide and improvise some of what Scooby would say, which kept it fresh. Matthew tends to go off script quite a bit, so I just tried to keep up and react as naturally as possible with what Scooby would say. Then in the post-production process, Raja gave me specific direction and we refined Scooby’s vocal performance.”

“Matthew and Neil have a shorthand,” Gosnell observes. “Matthew will improvise and Neil with take it and run with it. If we had a pre-recorded voice that we played back to Matt every take, we would lose all that spontaneity. It also helps Neil’s performance, because he’s right there with Matt and can feed off of his energy.”