With a new animated Scooby-Doo film, fans are reminded of all the other animated films before this. After all, this will hardly be the first Mystery Inc. movie. Since it’s debut in 1969, Scooby-Doo and the gang have starred in 36 animated films. They’ve battled witches, ghosts, vampires, and so much more. Most of the time, these enemies are illusions and criminals, but sometimes the mystery throws a curve-ball at everyone.

While seeing the gang work together is always a treat, some of these films are better than others. Whether it be from a story, setting, mystery, or fan standpoint, there are some Scooby-Doo tales that go above and beyond.

In no particular order, here are the best Scooby-Doo movies.

Updated On April 26, 2020 By Amanda Bruce: Everyone has their favorite Scooby-Doo story. Whether it’s when the team takes a vacation that turns into a mystery, finds that technology gets in the way, or they encounter a real ghost, there are Scooby-Doo stories fit for everyone. That’s why this list has been updated with even more of the best Scooby-Doo movies from the past few decades.

SCOOBY-DOO! AND THE GOBLIN KING

This movie debuted at a time when kids just weren’t into Scooby-Doo anymore. Despite the lackluster movies that came out before it, interest in the franchise saw an uptick with this addition.

Though the story spotlights Scooby and Shaggy, they spend the bulk of their time trying to save their friends as they hunt for the Goblin King. It is reminiscent of the ‘80s era of animation without some of the more annoying elements. It even features some great stunt voice casting for adult fans with Lauren Bacall and Jay Leno.

SCOOBY-DOO! ABRACADABRA-DOO!

A decade after playing Shaggy Rogers in live action, Matthew Lillard debuts as the new animated character’s voice in this movie. Some fans might not love the live action, but there’s no denying that Lillard is a master at playing Shaggy Rogers.

In this adventure, the gang heads out to visit Velma’s little sister. She’s studying at a school for stage magic, but of course, there’s a mystery in the form of sightings of a strange animal. This movie is loved by fans because it gives a lot of nods to the animation of the ‘70s, right down to the sound effect for the thunder. It’s a great combination of the modern animation and the old school series.

SCOOBY-DOO! SHAGGY’S SHOWDOWN

Any Scooby-Doo movie that expands the family stories of the main characters is certainly fun. The gang meeting up with various cousins in the original series is part of what propelled the mysteries. This time around, it’s Shaggy getting the family tree expansion.

When Mystery Inc. visits a ranch and finds out locals have been haunted by a ghost named Dapper Jack, they set out to investigate. When it turns out the ghost might be a relative of Shaggy’s, they only get more interested in the mystery.

SCOOBY-DOO! AND THE SAMURAI SWORD

Scooby-Doo has taken on westerns, slasher flicks, and monster movies. For anyone who ever wondered what it would be like if the franchise took on the martial arts world, this movie is for them.

The gang takes a trip to Japan where Daphne is participating in a martial arts tournament. At the opening dinner, a sinister samurai appears to interrupt the festivities and give the friends a new mystery to solve. Along the way, the movie gives a lot of nods to some of the great martial arts movies of the past. 

SCOOBY-DOO! IN WHERE’S MY MUMMY

Velma finally gets the chance to show other people she’s brilliant when she works on an archeological dig in Egypt. Unfortunately, there’s a tomb raider out for the treasure. Her Mystery Inc. friends stop by to visit her just in time to help her save the day.

This entry is pretty self aware of the movie genre it’s parodying. While the Scooby gang has tangled with their fair share of mummies in the past, it’s the nods to the genre and the tropes that make this particularly enjoyable. It also features the voice work of Christine Baranski, Oded Fehr, and Virginia Madsen, so it’s stacked with talent.

SCOOBY-DOO! AND THE WITCH’S GHOST

By far one of the most well-known Scooby-Doo films, this 1999 classic was the first place fans met the Hex Girls and got to listen to Tim Curry being a perfectly deluded warlock. This was a bit of a weird period for Scooby-Doo movies, though, as quite a few films during this time had real supernatural elements. For instance, in this film, the Witch’s Ghost ultimately is a real ghost witch with real, scary powers.

The original mystery may have been fabricated by her descendant, Ben, to find her spell book, but the supernatural baddie isn’t just an illusion. When this movie came out, it became a memorable classic that fans adored.

SCOOBY-DOO! CAMP SCARE

While Scooby-Doo overall is an homage to monster movies and frightening tales, this film is the pinnacle horror reference. The gang heads back to Fred’s old summer camp to act as camp counselors. While there, they discover a lot more spooky things afoot than campfire stories. Harkening back to Friday The 13th, Creature Of The Black Lagoon, and classic evil witches, it’s got the classics of camp scares.

Overall, the Mystery Machine crew as camp counselors ends in just as much trouble as one would expect.

Moreover, the film has a fantastic end reveal that’s funny and interesting.

SCOOBY-DOO! AND THE ALIEN INVADERS

In the realm of Scooby-Doo movies that push the supernatural, this one has real aliens, but not the aliens you’d expect. Between classic broccoli head extraterrestrials, a romantic subplot, and serious Area 51 vibes, this is a wildly unique story that deserves praise. While it isn’t the best film on this list, it’s one of the more daring in its choices. After all, there are real aliens. And, mind you, that’s dealt with pretty casually.

As far as fun, goofy films go, this one is a winner. It has the perfect amount of new ideas, absurdity, and classic Scooby-Doo hijinks to delight fans of all ages.

Most important, though, it reveals that Scooby Snacks fully heal broken hearts. Who knew?

SCOOBY-DOO! PIRATE’S AHOY!

As far as parents go, Daphne’s aren’t the only ones with money. While they may not hold a candle to the Blake fortune, his parents can still drop a load of cash for Fred’s birthday. Not only do they send him on a cruise, but they also pay for the rest of the Mystery Inc. crew.

Of course, with their luck, things don’t go quite as planned and ghost pirates siege the cruise liner. Things only get wilder from there, with a man named Captain Skunkbeard in charge and the gang on the job to stop him.

Fun, clever, and full of twists, this movie has its own take on modern day pirates.

SCOOBY-DOO! AND THE LEGEND OF THE VAMPIRE

Hello, Hex Girls! The fan favorite vampire-fanged band returns in an Australian adventure with a battle of the bands. However, the competition takes place near Vampire Rock, where there are rumors of, you guessed it, vampires. Particularly a losing band from a previous year haunting the grounds.

Through several dangerous brushes with Kiss-inspired vampires, Mystery Inc. has to figure out what’s really going on at Vampire Rock. Though it’s a little predictable, the visuals are awesome and the Hex Girls are always a treat. Moreover, the Mystery Inc. crew start a band called The Meddlesome Kids, which is hilarious and corny all at once. The movie’s an instant classic.

SCOOBY-DOO! ON ZOMBIE ISLAND

According to many places on the internet, Scooby-Doo! On Zombie Island is the best Mystery Inc. movie that exists. In the beginning, things look pretty grim for the gang: they’ve all split up after becoming bored with mystery-solving. Fred and Daphne become TV stars, Velma owns a mystery book store, and Scooby and Shaggy bounce to and from odd jobs. However, the bunch are still friends so they join up for a road trip for Daphne’s birthday.

Once they reach the island in New Orleans, though, things quickly go sideways. There are monstrous catgirls and zombies afoot. From there, the story gets supernatural and creepy. Putting the gang in wildly new territory of real monsters and ghosts, the film breathes new life into Mystery Inc. Scooby-Doo! And The Ghost Witch followed after this, also was impressively successful, and the rest is history.

SCOOBY-DOO! AND THE CYBER CHASE

Of all the Scooby-Doo films, this one is probably the most far-fetched and it’s not for supernatural reasons. In this Mystery Inc. adventure, the gang visits some video game developer friend of Velma’s. He’s developed a virtual reality experience that actually sends you into the game. Not only is it revolutionary, but also tons of fun.

Unfortunately, though, there’s something in his game called the Phantom Virus that’s wreaking havoc. And no, the story doesn’t get any more sensible from there.

Though it’s absurd, the way the film plays with technology and video games is fascinating and fun. All across the web, fans adore this film and find it a memorable adventure they wanted to watch over and over.

SCOOBY-DOO! AND THE LOCH NESS MONSTER

Despite having a very obvious, evil-looking fake Loch Ness Monster, the film itself is a treat. Not only does it add more people to Daphne’s seemingly endless list of extended family, but it also explores the beautiful land of Scotland and has a wholesome end message. After all, the gang only ends up concluding the agressive monster they found was a fake robot. They don’t know if there’s a real one. This lets fan question the world around them without losing a sense of wonder and mystery.

Whether the monster is real or not in the Mystery Inc. universe, that doesn’t stop this film from being fun and full of action.

SCOOBY-DOO! AND THE GHOUL SCHOOL

Though most of the entries on this list are from the late nineties on, Scooby-Doo! And The Ghoul School is an 80’s classic that cemented itself in the heart of fans. Truly, the film is unlike anything the Mystery Inc. crew has done before. During Scrappy Doo times, Shaggy, Scooby, and Scrappy somehow end up at a Ghoul School for young monster girls. They are enlisted as teachers and end up in various whacky situations with these unique young ladies, including a mummy, a vampire, a werewolf, and more.

Instead of an overall narrative, there are a couple events like a volleyball tournament, Halloween night, and a field trip. Though the premise makes no sense, seeing Shaggy and Scooby support these weird kids is wholesome fun. Especially for female fans, it was fun to watch a bunch of girls own their differences and be awesome with them, too.

SCOOBY-DOO! AND THE MONSTER OF MEXICO

One of the reasons Scooby-Doo movies are so cool is because their exploration of culture. In Australia, they showed off folklore; in Scotland, castles and kilts. When it comes to that aspect, Scooby-Doo! And The Monster Of Mexico succeeds the most. Fans not only see this big, legendary monster but also positive traditions like Day of The Dead, traditional performances, medicine men, and ancient temples.

Despite the fact most of the representation is fairly typical, it’s wrapped up in a movie with nice, friendly locals and a respect for tradition and family.

Of course, it helps that the monster is pretty cool, too.