Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fun mystery has more romance than most Scooby movies.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Scooby-Doo!: Stage Fright
What's the Story?
In SCOOBY-DOO: STAGE FRIGHT!, the Mystery, Inc. gang heads to Chicago, where Daphne (Grey DeLisle) and Fred (Frank Welker) are set to compete in the finals of an American Idol-style reality show. Only once they reach the theater are they told it's haunted by a dangerous "phantom" with a penchant for dropping props and setting curtains on fire. Daph and Fred immediately enlist Velma (Mindy Cohn), who wants to tour the city's cultural institutions, and Shaggy (Matthew Lillard) and Scooby (Welker), who just want to eat pizza, to help them solve the mystery.
Is It Any Good?
Although some of the Scooby-Doo movies don't seem set in a particular time and place, this entertaining entry is clearly the product of an era when reality talent shows are all the rage. So, everything from the popularity of the fake show and the behavior of the contestants and the attitude of its host (brilliantly voiced by Wayne Brady, no stranger to variety shows), is extremely believable, as is the ongoing romantic tension between Daphne and the clueless Fred.
Scooby-Doo movies come out so regularly it's easy to assume they're not any good. Yes, they're an acquired taste, but they help kids understand the basics of suspense/mystery stories, appreciate the way different personalities can mesh to work together, and laugh heartily at how a dog and his best friends can always manage to save the day.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what makes Scooby-Doo such an enduring character. Why do these mysteries continue to be popular? How does this Scooby-Doo movie compare to the many other Scooby-Doo stories?
What makes reality talent shows so popular that a fake one is a major part of this Scooby-Doo story? What are your favorite talent shows?
This movie has more romance than other Scooby-Doo installments. Do you think romance fits into the story?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : August 20, 2013
- Cast : Frank Welker , Grey DeLisle , Mindy Cohn
- Director : Victor Cook
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Warner Home Video
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Friendship , Fantasy
- Run time : 75 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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