Maxwell Jenkins Reportedly Cast as Fred in Netflix’s Live-Action ‘Scooby-Doo’ Series

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The Mystery Machine is officially filling up its passenger seats! Following the news that the iconic Hanna-Barbera cartoon is getting a modern live-action reimagining at Netflix, the cast of the teenage sleuths is beginning to take shape.

According to a new report from Jeff Sneider over at The Insneider, rising star Maxwell Jenkins has been cast in the upcoming series, and sources indicate he will be playing Fred Jones, the leader of the gang.

Netflix subscribers will already be very familiar with Jenkins, who is best known for his fan-favorite role as Will Robinson in the streamer’s sci-fi hit Lost in Space. He also appeared in the Wachowskis’ Netflix series Sense8, played a younger version of Alan Ritchson’s titular character in Prime Video’s Reacher, and starred in the Apple TV+ series Dear Edward, as well as the horror film Arcadian.

Freddie Prinze Jr. famously brought Fred to life in the early 2000s live-action Scooby-Doo theatrical movies, while Robbie Amell took on the role in the 2009 TV movie Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins and its 2010 sequel. 

Building the Mystery Inc. Gang

This latest casting news joins a growing list of exciting updates for the highly anticipated project. As we have previously covered, McKenna Grace (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Scream 7) is already set to star as Daphne Blake. (Grace previously voiced a younger version of Daphne in the 2020 animated film Scoob!). Frank Welker has also been reported to voice Scooby-Doo.

Additionally, we recently broke the news that Emmy-winner Paul Walter Hauser is being eyed for a role in the series, and that production is gearing up for a late April 2026 filming start in Atlanta, running through September 10th, 2026. The project is expected to be titled: Scooby Doo: Origins.

What is the new Scooby-Doo series about?

Picked up for eight episodes last March, the new series will serve as a modern reimagining that explores how the Mystery Inc. gang first met.

According to the official synopsis, the story kicks off when Shaggy and Daphne get embroiled in a mystery involving a lost Great Dane puppy that may have witnessed a supernatural murder. They team up with scientific townie Velma and “strange-but-handsome new kid” Freddy. Together, the quartet sets out to solve a case that pulls each of them into a creepy nightmare and threatens to expose all of their deepest secrets.

The show hails from writers and showrunners Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg (Cowboy Bebop, High Fidelity). The duo will also executive produce the show alongside André Nemec and Jeff Pinkner under their Midnight Radio banner. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Leigh London Redman are also on board to executive produce via Berlanti Productions, under their overall deal at Warner Bros. Television.

For a full breakdown of everything we know so far about the project, check out our comprehensive guide to the live-action Scooby-Doo series.

Are you excited to see Maxwell Jenkins as Fred in Netflix’s live-action Scooby-Doo? Let us know in the comments below!