21 Years After Scooby-Doo, Matthew Lillard Shoots His Shot for a DCU Reunion With James Gunn
A Hollywood star just shot his shot at James Gunn, signaling he’s ready to suit up and igniting fresh superhero casting buzz.
Matthew Lillard is officially shooting his shot with James Gunn. And honestly, yes please.
Lillard to Gunn: call me
Onstage at Los Angeles Comic Con, right after confirming he shows up in Daredevil: Born Again season 2, Lillard told the crowd he wants into Gunn's DCU in a big way.
"I have wanted to be in a superhero world. I've wanted to be in [DCU]. If anyone's curious: if you run into James Gunn, tell him I'm available."
"James Gunn wrote Scooby-Doo 1 and 2; he's one of my dear friends. I keep waiting for that invitation. I don't know if it's lost in the mail."
"Playing a superhero...to be in that world...The stakes are really high. I like really high stakes. I'm not really the guy you hire for an office drama."
The Scooby-Doo connection (aka the inside baseball bit)
This isn't random name-dropping. Gunn wrote the first live-action Scooby-Doo (2002) and its sequel, Monsters Unleashed (2004). Lillard, of course, is Shaggy — Scoob's partner-in-crime-solving and perpetual snack buddy. After some time away from the role, Lillard became the primary voice of Shaggy in the 2010s after Casey Kasem retired from the part; Kasem, who also voiced Robin/Dick Grayson in the first animated Batman series, later passed away in 2014.
So is Lillard already in a cape?
Not quite. His Daredevil: Born Again role puts him in the MCU, but it's not a superhero gig. As he put it: "I don't wear any Lycra. I know you're sad." Translation: think street-level character, not spandex and a codename. Which is probably why he's lobbying Gunn for a proper DCU superhero (or supervillain) turn.
Who should he play?
Fans are already fantasy-casting him as the Riddler, and yeah, that fits — elastic energy, sharp timing, a little menace when he wants it. Feels like a layup.
Where to see him next
- Five Nights at Freddy's 2: Lillard returns as William Afton in theaters on December 5.
- Daredevil: Born Again: hits Disney Plus in March 2026, with Lillard appearing in season 2.