You may recall last year the announcement of an adult animated series based on the "unsung and underappreciated brains" of Mystery, Inc., Velma Dinkley. Executive producer Mindy Kaling, who will also voice the lead, gave us our first look at the upcoming Velma series, and fans of the beloved Scooby-Doo character may be in for a bit of a surprise.
"Hopefully you noticed my Velma is South Asian," Kaling revealed at the Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront presentation (via EW). "If people freak out about that, I don't care."
It's worth noting that this isn't the first time Velma has been portrayed as Asian. Haley Kiyoko played the character in Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins and Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster.
Change in skin complexion aside, Kaling's version of Velma is still sporting her iconic black-rimmed glasses and orange turtle neck. Perhaps the bigger surprise here is the body of a young woman with the top of her head cut off — not exactly the kid-friendly mystery we're used to Velma investigating.
Velma is an adult-focused comedy series that was previously described as "an original and humorous spin that unmasks the complex and colorful past of one of America's most beloved mystery solvers."
Velma will air on HBO Max but doesn't yet have a premiere date. What do you think of Kaling's depiction of the iconic character?
Toonado.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.