'Velma' teaser: Mindy Kaling becomes the popular 'Scooby-Doo' heroine in this animated series. Watch

HBO Max has released a teaser for 'Velma'. The series is a spinoff of the 'Scooby-Doo' franchise and centres around the titular Velma, who is one of the major characters in the franchise and a member of Mystery Incorporated. The series comes from comedian, writer, and actor Mindy Kaling, who also voices Velma. Despite the kids and family-friendly fare the franchise has been for decades, 'Velma' appears to be catering towards adults. There is also a bit of meta humour here. It remains to be seen whether this take will appeal to the fans of franchise. It is also notable that a lot of movies and TV shows were cancelled at HBO Max in the cost-cutting measures implemented by CEO of the new entity Warner Bros Discovery, but 'Velma' somehow was let off.

We see Velma typing a text addressed to somebody at HBO Max while complaining about how an iconic property is being reimagined by the streaming service. She appears to be at her home. She receives a call. It is a serial killer. The camera pans out of ther home and we see blood splashing on a window. There is no sign of Scoob or Shaggy or the others. With this teaser, it is hard to see what Kaling is doing with the character.

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Recently, Velma was declared canonically a lesbian in a new film 'Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo!'.

Also Read:Velma of 'Scooby-Doo' franchise comes out as lesbian in new movie. Watch

James Gunn, who wrote 2002's live-action 'Scooby-Doo', has earlier said that in his script Velma was a lesbian but the studio, Warner Bros, removed every reference to her sexuality.

In a 2020 tweet, Gunn said, “In 2001 Velma was explicitly gay in my initial script. But the studio just kept watering it down & watering it down, becoming ambiguous (the version shot), then nothing (the released version) & finally having a boyfriend (the sequel).”

The official synopsis of 'Velma' reads, "VELMA is an adult animated comedy series telling the origin story of Velma Dinkley, the unsung and under appreciated brains of the Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc. gang. This original and humorous spin unmasks the complex and colorful past of one of America’s most beloved mystery solvers."

'Velma' arrives sometime next year.