'Scooby-Doo's' Velma is officially part of LGBT community in new HBO Max movie
The Scooby-Doo franchise's iconic character Velma is officially out and proud as HBO Max’s new film Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! confirms that she is part of the LGBTQ community.
In a clip from the film, which will debut on the streaming platform on Oct. 16, Velma is shown to have been hit by Cupid's arrow as she meets a mysterious but beautiful costume designer named Coco Diablo.
The woman, who heads an infamous costume crime syndicate, seems to have caught Velma's eye as she surveys her and notes: "Incredible glasses!", "Amazing turtleneck!", "Obviously brilliant!", and "Loves animals!"
The smartest member of Mystery Inc. could be seen blushing as her glasses fog up, and she utters her signature catchphrase, "Jinkies".
Velma is finally confirmed to be part of the LGBTQ+ community in the latest Scooby-Doo film ‘TRICK OR TREAT’. pic.twitter.com/x5a3vK5k8z
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 4, 2022
Fans of the acclaimed Scooby-Doo franchise have long been speculating about Velma's sexuality. Creatives of the show revealed that they wanted to make the character a part of the queer community even before Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! was made, but they couldn't make it official onscreen at the time.
In a deleted tweet by James Gunn, who wrote the two live-action movie adaptations of Scooby-Doo, he said that he wanted to make Velma explicitly gay, but he was thwarted by the higher-ups.
"In 2001, Velma was explicitly gay in my initial script. But the studio just kept watering it down and watering it down, becoming ambiguous (the version shot), then nothing (the released version) and finally having a boyfriend (the sequel)," Gunn wrote.
Meanwhile, Tony Cervone, who was the supervising producer of the 2010 animated series Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, confirmed Velma's sexuality during Pride Month as he posted a picture of her and her supposed-to-be romantic partner Marcie Fleach in front of a rainbow flag.
"I obviously don’t represent every version of Velma Dinkley, but I am one of the key people that represents this one. We made our intentions as clear as we could ten years ago. Most of our fans got it. To those that didn’t, I suggest you look closer. There’s no new news here," Cervone wrote.
As Velma's sexuality has finally been made official onscreen, fans were quick to sing praises on the decision.
"Velma getting her lesbian debut after five decades. Thank you," one user posted on Twitter as they shared a fanart of Velma and Coco.
velma getting her lesbian debut after five decades thank u 🧡🤍💖 pic.twitter.com/1vxRaalwnG
— reese 🍂 (@kayochins) October 4, 2022
Another one wrote, "Velma being gay is actually massive. We're at a point in time when this major character, full of decades-old history and fans, gets to actually be a lesbian and that's just another part of her canon now! Sometimes we need to celebrate these wins."
Velma being gay is actually massive, we're at a point in time when this major character, full of decades-old history and fans, gets to actually be a lesbian and that's just another part of her canon now!
— Carol(ina) • justice for Jonas, Jocasta and Xavin (@tealisa_) October 4, 2022
Sometimes we need to celebrate these wins
Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! is the 34th film in the franchise's series of direct-to-video films based on the Hannah-Barbera cartoon shows that debuted in 1969. The synopsis follows Scooby-Doo's gang being terrorized by doppelgänger ghosts of the crew's classic foes, and the meddling kids must solve the mystery again before they ruin Halloween.