Finally, the eagerly anticipated sequel to Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery arrives in a new explosive and entertaining crossover; Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon. The 26th film in the Scooby-Doo! direct-to-video series features a superstar cast of some of WWE’s best athletes, including The Undertaker, Triple H and even the Bulgarian brute himself, Rusev.
Not content with entertaining the WWE Universe inside a wrestling ring, Vince McMahon ventures out further by creating a racing competition. However, this attracts a mysterious demon who threatens to disrupt the race at any cost. To investigate the matter, Vince hires the help of Mystery Inc.
The story isn’t necessarily phenomenal by any standards, but it’s aided by a script that will at least garner some laughs, especially from WWE’s younger audience. Scooby and Shaggy eventually find themselves teaming up with The Undertaker, whose previous partner, the late Dusty Rhodes, is injured by the deadly Speed Demon.
The cast is sure to appease any of the younger fans who have a favourite, as The Miz, Paige, Lana, Stephanie McMahon, Kofi Kingston, Sheamus, Goldust and Stardust, and even Los Matadores all make an appearance. Perhaps the inclusion of WWE’s ex-Shield members would’ve been appropriate but unfortunately, like John Cena, they’re not seen here.
Thankfully, despite being a direct-to-DVD sequel, the animation style provides decent designs for these wrestlers. For example, Paige and Rusev really fit into the animation style of the Scooby-Doo universe, by exaggerating their body structure and facial features in all the right places.
However, the car models seem like an afterthought. The cars are slightly modelled on the drivers, such as Triple H’s aptly named ‘Company Car’, but they just don’t have the same polish that the 2D animation boasts. Still, the races are explosive enough to keep younger fans happy.
Perhaps not surprising to many, but The Miz provides the best performance from the entire roster. He gives it his all, which truly confirms his status as an A-list Hollywood actor. Triple H and Stephanie also provide a commendable voice-acting role, and Vince McMahon channels himself perfectly.
The reveal of the Speed Demon is a tad underwhelming, but it’s so ridiculous that it works within the realm of Scooby-Doo mysteries. Some members of the WWE Universe may assign an identity to the demon based on the car design, but there aren’t many surprises had here.
It’s an almost perfect mash-up for children who enjoy both Scooby-Doo and WWE. Shaggy and Scooby get stuck into their usual hijinks, and the addition of wrestlers such as The Undertaker helps build the angle they’re going for. Fans would never have assumed that The Undertaker would partake in such an amusing role, but then again that’s why it works.
The story is serviceable, the animation is decent, and it’s a small treat to see Dusty Rhodes appear in the film after his unfortunate passing. It also provides Michael Cole’s best performance on commentary in his entire career. It’s ideal for children, and entertaining enough to keep the older fans happy.
SCOOBY-DOO! & WWE: CURSE OF THE SPEED DEMON / PG / DIRECTOR: TIM DIVAR / SCREENPLAY: ERNIE ALTBACKER / STARRING: FRANK WELKER, MATTHEW LILLARD, THE MIZ, THE UNDERTAKER, TRIPLE H, SHEAMUS, RUSEV / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
