Back in 2002, The Suicide Squad's James Gunn wrote the screenplay for the first live-action Scooby-Doo film. The film originally received an R rating from the Motion Picture Association of America, but was brought down to PG. When asked about the original script, Gunn explained the cuts that had to be made to bring down the film's rating.Gunn first explained that they'd only received an R-rating because of one joke and that the original intent was to have the film rated PG-13. "Yes, the first MPAA rating was R, but it was only because of one stupid joke the MPAA misinterpreted," the director wrote on Twitter."The movie was originally meant to be PG-13 and was cut down to PG after like three parents were outraged at a test screening in Sacramento," he continued. "The studio decided to go a more family friendly route," Gunn said. Cuts to the original script included some strong language as well as a kiss between Velma and Daphne.
"I thought at the time the rating change was a mistake," Gunn explained. "I felt like a lot of teens came out for the first film and didn’t get what they wanted (and didn’t come back for the sequel). But today I don’t know. So many young kids loved those movies, which is pretty cool." The Guardians of the Galaxy director also doubts any cuts of the original version of the film still exist.
Scooby-Doo originally released on June 14, 2002 and was directed by Raja Gosnell. The film starred Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Linda Cardellini, Matthew Lillard and Rowan Atkinson. A sequel, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, hit theaters two years later in 2004. Scooby and the gang will soon make their return to the big screen in the form of the animated reboot Scoob!.
James Gunn is currently directing The Suicide Squad for Warner Bros. and DC. He will also return to direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 for Marvel Studios.
Written and directed by James Gunn, The Suicide Squad stars Margot Robbie, Viola Davis, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney, David Dastmalchian, John Cena, Joaquin Cosio, Nathan Fillion, Mayling Ng, Flula Borg, Sean Gunn, Juan Diego Botto, Storm Reid, Pete Davidson, Taika Waititi, Alice Braga, Steve Agee, Tinashe Kajese, Daniela Melchior, Peter Capaldi, Julio Ruiz, Jennifer Holland, Idris Elba and Michael Rooker. The film arrives in theaters Aug. 6, 2021.