Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold
DVD cover
Directed by	Jake Castorena
Screenplay by	Paul Giacoppo[3]
Story by	James Tucker Michael Jelenic Kaz
Based on	Scooby-Doo by William Hanna, Joseph Barbera, Iwao Takamoto, Joe Ruby, & Ken Spears Batman by Bob Kane, Bill Finger, & DC Comics Batman: The Brave and the Bold by James Tucker, Michael Jelenic, & DC Comics
Produced by	Michael Jelenic
Starring	Matthew Lillard Frank Welker Grey Griffin Kate Micucci Diedrich Bader[4]
Edited by	Christopher D. Lozinski Molly Yahr
Music by	Michael McCuistion Lolita Ritmanis Kristopher Carter
Production companies	Warner Bros. Animation DC Entertainment
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Release dates	January 6, 2018 (2018-01-06) (TCL Chinese Theatre[1]) January 9, 2018 (2018-01-09) (DVD and digital) [2]
Running time	75 minutes[5]
Country	United States
Language	English

Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold is a 2018 American animated direct-to-video superhero action comedy film produced by Warner Bros. Animation and distributed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, and the thirtieth entry in the direct-to-video series of Scooby-Doo films. The film is a crossover between Scooby-Doo and Batman: The Brave and the Bold.^[6] The film involves Scooby-Doo and his friends teaming with Batman and other DC Comics superheroes in order to defeat a new villain. It is the first media based on Batman: The Brave and the Bold since the series ended in 2011. Most of the cast from the series reprised their roles (including Diedrich Bader as Batman) although a few roles were re-cast with other actors from different DC projects. The film premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre^[7] on January 6, 2018^[8] and was released on DVD and digitally on January 9.^[9]

Plot

Mystery Incorporated investigates a series of thefts by the ghost of Puppetto the Puppeteer and his puppet. As they try to capture the spirit, Batman intervenes, warning them to leave things to the professionals. Fred manages to capture Puppetto and the puppet, and Mystery Inc. deduces them to be Martian Manhunter and Detective Chimp. The Puppetto mystery was a test for Mystery Inc. to join the Mystery Analysts of Gotham City, which they accept. Unbeknownst to the heroes, they are observed by a red-cloaked figure.

A week later, Batman foils a gold robbery by Riddler, Catwoman and Killer Croc with help from the Question and Aquaman. Aquaman expresses interest in joining the Analysts but is rejected for not being a detective. Mystery Inc. arrives at the Analysts' headquarters, meeting Question, Black Canary and Plastic Man, as well as a tagalong Aquaman. Mystery Inc. is asked to take the lead in the next case for the Analysts. When an alarm sounds from Gotham Chemical Storage, the assembled Analysts head for the warehouse, finding that several vials of a radioactive isotope have been stolen. The red-cloaked figure appears, declaring himself to be the Crimson Cloak, and swears revenge on Batman and Gotham for making him into a ghost. Crimson Cloak sets the storage on fire, but the Analysts escape with Plastic Man's help.

While the Analysts extinguish the fire, Batman sends Mystery Inc. to a diner to rejoin them later. Believing it to be connected to the Crimson Cloak, Batman discloses his single unsolved case; during his first year of crime-fighting, he attempted to stop Professor Milo from experimenting with an unstable teleporter but was unable to stop the vortex from killing one of Milo's assistants, Leo Scarlett. Batman and Mystery Inc. conclude the Crimson Cloak to be Sam Scarlett or Riddler, after Daphne deduces him to be Milo's second assistant under the alias of Wade Magny.

Following this lead, Batman and Mystery Inc. travel to Arkham Asylum, where Riddler confirms their suspicions and advises them to check Arkham's cemetery. As Batman and Mystery Inc. begin to leave, Crimson Cloak appears and releases the inmates Clock King, Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, and Two-Face from their cells, although Batman manages to re-imprison them. At the cemetery, Batman and Mystery Inc. discover the remains of Leo's jacket and a clay footprint. As they return to the Mystery Machine, Harvey Bullock and the Analysts attempt to arrest them for the isotope theft due to fake evidence planted in the van. Batman and Mystery Inc. escape. In No Man's Land, Scooby-Doo and Shaggy throw off Bane and Blockbuster. Upon crashing into a villain bar, they run afoul of Joker and Penguin who transport their fellow villains in their respectful vehicles. Batman summons the Batmobile to have Mystery Inc. escape into it.

After escaping the Analysts who beat up the villains, Batman takes Mystery Inc. to the Batcave. After watching Bullock's press conference about Mystery Inc., he leaves them there while he investigates Milo's old laboratory. Aquaman and Question, refusing to believe the false accusations against Mystery Inc., join Batman and find Milo's teleporter restored by Crimson Cloak. Crimson Cloak attacks them, seemingly killing Question and capturing Batman and Aquaman. Within the Batcave, Velma attempts to analyze the clay footprint only for it to suddenly come to life and attack. After overcoming it using a Bat-Dehydrator, Mystery Inc. deduces the Crimson Cloak's true identity for themselves.

Realizing that the Cloak has captured Batman, Mystery Inc. equips themselves with the old costumes and gadgets of Batman and his former sidekicks, and arrives to save Batman. Crimson Cloak shapeshifts into Batman's other enemies to stop them, but Mystery Inc. incapacitate him with the Dehydrator and shut down the teleporter. Mystery Inc. exposes the Cloak as Clayface, who committed the crimes in exchange for a cure for the gradual decay of his body, and is taken to Blackgate Penitentiary. Batman deduces that Riddler hired Clayface, leaving a clay duplicate of himself in Arkham. He then unmasks Question to reveal Riddler, having realized that he swapped places with the real Question from Aquaman's observations.

Now exposed, Riddler escapes into the lab, followed by Mystery Inc and the Analysts. He reactivates the teleporter and prepares to use it to destroy Gotham, only to be knocked out by the real Question. The vortex grows out of control, but at the same time, a human shape manifests in it. Working together, Mystery Inc. and the Analysts reverse the device's polarity and free the figure before it self-destructs. The figure is revealed to be Leo Scarlett, who was trapped in an inter-dimensional void.

Leo is reunited with his father. Riddler and his henchmen are arrested by the police. Batman thanks Mystery Inc. for their help before taking off into the night.

Voice cast

• Frank Welker as Scooby-Doo, Fred Jones
• Grey Griffin as Daphne Blake, Black Canary
• Matthew Lillard as Shaggy Rogers
• Kate Micucci as Velma Dinkley
• Diedrich Bader as Batman
• John Michael Higgins as Riddler
• Jeffrey Combs as Question
• John DiMaggio as Aquaman, Mr. Freeze
• Nika Futterman as Catwoman
• Nicholas Guest as Martian Manhunter
• Jeff Bennett as Joker
• Tom Kenny as Penguin, Plastic Man
• Kevin Michael Richardson as Clayface, Detective Chimp
• Tara Strong as Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy
• Fred Tatasciore as Harvey Bullock

Reception

A positive review for the website Den of the Geek praised the film but criticised its length and final sequence.^[10] IGN also found the film entertaining but states that it will probably disappoint DC fans that are used to darker atmospheres.^[11] A review for SciFi Pulse gave the film an honorable mention, stating among other things that "the title (was) the plot".^[12]

References

External links

• Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold at IMDb
• Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold at Rotten Tomatoes

This page was last edited on 23 August 2023, at 18:19