Scooby Doo Gang Spends Five Nights at Freddy’s In Painstakingly Animated Stop-Motion Short

Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Incorporated gang tackle the mystery of Five Nights at Freddy’s in a painstakingly animated stop-motion-inspired crossover. The hit horror video game franchise is set to make the leap to the big screen in a Blumhouse-produced live-action feature film this fall. Meanwhile, Scooby and his friends will cross paths with another famous hound in the crossover animated film Scooby-Doo! And Krypto, Too!, featuring Mystery Inc. trying to solve a mystery surrounding the Justice League’s disappearance.

As Five Nights at Freddy’s fall release gets closer, Eagan Tilghman has imagined the franchise’s animatronics through the lens of classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons in “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? In… Springtrapped!”

With the title a play on one of the horror franchise’s most terrifying villains, the animated short sees Scooby, Shaggy, Fred, Velma, and Daphne’s birthday trip to Fazbear’s Pizzeria take a turn as they try to discover who is haunting the parlor. Rather than leaning into horror, the animation lovingly reimagines Five Nights at Freddy’s as a classic Scooby-Doo episode, featuring the show’s opening and recognizable gags as Springtrap chases Shaggy and Scoob through the restaurant.

How Scooby-Doo & Five Nights at Freddy’s Share A Fun Casting Connection

​​​​​​While it may not seem like the franchises have much in common, both Scooby-Doo and Five Nights at Freddy’s do share a significant connection thanks to the former’s upcoming movie. Scream star Matthew Lillard will portray William Afton, the original antagonist of the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise. He founded the restaurant chain and committed several gristly murders before ultimately becoming Springtrap. While Lillard’s horror history makes him a fun choice to play the villain, it is his other notable role that creates a fun connection between the two aforementioned franchises.

In 2002’s live-action Scooby-Doo adaptation and its 2004 sequel, Lillard portrayed Shaggy alongside Linda Cardellini, Freddy Prinze Jr., and Sarah Michelle Gellar. While the whole cast would reprise their roles in parodies including Robot Chicken, Lillard himself has gone on to become the main voice for Shaggy across numerous animated films and shows since 2004.

Related: Matthew Lillard’s Five Nights At Freddy’s Role Subverts His Best Character

After numerous titles unraveling the mystery of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, it’s interesting to imagine what Scooby-Doo and his friends would do if they stumbled upon the restaurant. Between detailed recreations that are loving tributes to the original Scooby-Doo series and Easter eggs to the wider Five Nights at Freddy’s lore, the short film is an enjoyable watch for those well-versed in both series. While the short may avoid the games’ more gruesome and chilling details, it is nevertheless fun to see Springtrap reimagined as a petty monster-of-the-week for Mystery Inc.

Source: Eagan Tilghman