Matthew Lillard, the beloved actor known for his portrayal of Shaggy in the Scooby-Doo franchise, is set to return as the iconic character in an upcoming mystery project.
Lillard, who has lent his voice to Shaggy in various animated iterations since 2009, confirmed his participation in the new venture, expressing his excitement during an interview with Toonado.
“I’m really excited about [Scooby-Doo]. I can’t really talk about it yet, but there’s a new project I’m associated with that will allow kids to put themselves into a Scooby-Doo adventure. That’s super fun. For me, that’s my day job. It’s my bread and butter,” Lillard shared.
The actor’s return to the role comes after a bit of controversy surrounding the character’s portrayal. In 2020, Lillard was notably absent from the cast of “Scoob!”, an animated Scooby-Doo film, where Shaggy was voiced by Will Forte. This decision sparked backlash on social media, with fans expressing disappointment at the exclusion of Lillard from the project.
Reflecting on the incident, Lillard expressed his disappointment, stating, “About Scoob, I don’t have a lot of nice things to say. I wish them well, I hope the movie does really well. I mean, it was a drag. And I was surprised that happened.”
Despite the setback, Lillard has since returned to voice Shaggy in recent projects and is thrilled to continue his association with the beloved character.
“I’ve had the privilege and honour of being that voice for the last 16 or 17 years, so I will hold on to that as long as I can,” Lillard remarked.
As for the specifics of the upcoming project, Lillard remained tight-lipped, leaving fans eager to uncover more details about the mysterious Scooby-Doo endeavor. Whether the role will be live-action or animated has yet to be disclosed.
For fans of the Scooby-Doo franchise, Lillard’s return as Shaggy is undoubtedly an exciting development, promising more adventures with Mystery Incorporated and their lovable canine companion.
