During the HBO Max panel at New York Comic Con 2022, Velma’s first episode was screened and its new cast was announced. Among the other voices in the series are Glenn Howerton (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Sam Richardson (The Afterparty), and Constance Wu (Fresh Off the Boat), respectively, who will play Fred, Shaggy, and Daphne. Executive producer Mindy Kaling will voice the titular character
TV Guide Magazine’s Damian Holbrook moderated the panel during which the voice actors of The Gang (aside from Howerton and Richardson, who zoomed in) and showrunner Charlie Grandy answered a variety of questions about what we can expect from the 10-episode serialized series.
It wasn’t done before for an adult audience, so Kaling found Velma appealing because it was not your typical Saturday morning series. “We just thought these characters would make a great adult version,” Kaling said.
As Kaling describes it, Howerton’s Fred is much more normal than the usual characters he is assigned to play. However, Kaling does not believe that the characters in the original series were defined by their whiteness other than Fred. Due to his comedic chops and humanity, Howerton was perfect for the role.
In addition to exploring the lives of high schoolers, Kaling promised the series will also feature murder mysteries. In addition, Kaling teased that many of the characters will have sexual tension with Velma. Kaling said she was drawn to the project because of Velma’s journey of self-discovery, but she wouldn’t say if Velma and Daphne will hook up.
Velma will debut on HBO max in 2023.
