Credit: Unsplash

Velma is canonically a lesbian, and the film makes it pretty obvious.

For one reason or another, fans of the various iterations of the Scooby-Doo franchise have long debated on the sexuality of one of the franchise’s main characters, Velma Dinkley. While she has been previously depicted in an on-off relationship with Shaggy, LGBTQ fans of the show have repeatedly expressed theories and hopes that Velma could actually be a lesbian. A new Scooby-Doo animated movie has confirmed precisely that.

The new film, Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo, which released this week on streaming platforms and will air later on Cartoon Network, features several scenes of Velma openly pining for a character in the story, costume designer Coco Diablo, played by Kate Micucci. During these scenes, Velma can be seen staring at Coco, blushing, and generally fawning over her. While previous depictions of Velma have hinted at this leaning, this is the first instance to be this overt about it.

Those who have worked on Scooby-Doo shows and movies have been attempting to push this angle for years, but are repeatedly roadblocked by Warner Bros. Back in 2020, Tony Cervone, producer on Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated, said in an Instagram post that “We made our intentions as clear as we could ten years ago.”

obviously lesbian velma being canon has made my entire week, but can we talk about how smooth this animation is? because oh my god, it looks so good! https://t.co/XXCPqBla3S

— aimée ☆ JLI's pr manager (@sapphyreblayze) October 4, 2022

“Most of our fans got it. To those that didn’t, I suggest you look closer.”

James Gunn, who wrote the 2002 live-action Scooby-Doo, made similar comments in 2020 in an interview with Business Insider, noting that Warner Bros. was at fault for hiding his intent. “But the studio just kept watering it down and watering it down, becoming ambiguous (the version shot), then nothing (the released version), and finally having a boyfriend (the sequel).”