Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo! Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog

Plot

While unmasking a bank-robbing clown, Scooby-Doo hears a strange noise and is driven to dance before running off. Courage appears to have the same problem, though Muriel and Eustace do not notice. The gang chases Scooby and ends up in Nowhere, Kansas, where hostile cicadas surround Scooby and Courage. After killing the cicadas, Muriel invites them to the Bagge household.

Both groups are invited to dinner with the Mayor of Nowhere. On the way, a giant Cicada Queen attacks Scooby and Courage, destroying Eustace's truck. At the Mayor's mansion, they tour a museum of Nowhere's bizarre history. Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage look for food while Eustace returns home.

The Cicada Queen attacks, and her brood knocks Fred, Daphne, Velma, and Muriel into a hidden cave containing a strange machine that randomly sends cellphone calls; the trio destroys it while escaping. At the Bagge residence, Eustace makes a sandwich and receives guests who are call recipients, each leaving large sums of money.

The group is attacked again by the Cicada Queen, who kidnaps most of them, leaving only Scooby and Courage. Courage and Scooby retrieve the meteor and rescue the gang, but the Cicada Queen takes the meteor and holds Muriel hostage. Courage confronts his fears and battles the queen, eventually trapping her under scraps from the Bagge windmill.

Production

The film's production did not involve John R. Dilworth, the original creator of Courage the Cowardly Dog. Marty Grabstein and Thea White returned to voice Courage and Muriel Bagge. Jeff Bergman provided the voice of Eustace Bagge, succeeding Lionel Wilson and Arthur Anderson, who passed away in 2003 and 2016; Bergman had previously voiced the character in a 2012 Cartoon Network commercial. This crossover was Thea White's final performance; she died from liver cancer during surgery on July 30, 2021, and the film was dedicated to her memory.

Reception

Dillon Gonzales of Geek Vibes Nation gave a positive review, noting that while some moments feel padded, it is easy to overlook them while enjoying the characters. Becky O'Brien of Cinelinx also gave a positive review, calling the film a love letter to both series that exceeded expectations. Common Sense Media rated the film 2 out of 5 stars. Boca do Inferno stated that the film is worth seeing for the opportunity to watch the characters fight monsters with fear, sympathy, and voracity.