Spider-Man: No Way Home Scooby-Doo Reference Explained

By Aaron Perine


Spider-Man: No Way Home's trailer includes a reference to the Scooby-Doo gang. A recent fan theory explains why that gag actually helps explain the plot of the movie. NerdSync argues that 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo actually serves as the basis for the zinger during a Mr. Sunday Movies video. It's actually pretty brilliant and something that a lot of younger viewers might not have picked up on. Fans have been wondering about that mysterious cube that Spider-Man and Doctor Strange have been toting around in the trailers so far. Well, the cartoon series actually helps illuminate its possible purpose.

In 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, the gang is lost on the way to Hawaii. Upon landing in Tibet, Scoob and Shaggy end up opening the Chest of Demons. Inside that cursed box are 13 powerful ghosts and now it's up to the crew to go and collect the apparitions before they harm the planet. Over the course of the series, Mystery Inc. is charged with trotting across the globe to collect the ghosts and put them back in the box. Adding to the parallels are the fact that Vincent Price plays a warlock mentor figure for the group in a cloak. It's so silly, but the two premises map onto each other perfectly. Read what the YouTuber posted for yourself down below.

"Just wanted to throw in my own niche expertise and say that I think the 'Scooby-Doo this crap' line is a reference specifically to 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo of all things, where the crew unleashed 13 demons into the world and now has to put them back into the Chest of Demons, very similar to your idea that Doctor Strange is capturing all the villains in that little box device. And, of course, Doctor Strange would play the role of Vincent VanGhoul with the magic spells and the swoosh cloak and the hair and such," he wrote.

So, that mystical box is basically a dimensional version of the Chest of Demons. Peter, MJ, and Ned are tasked with going out and finding the "ghosts" of these past Spider-Men villains and trapping them in that cube. However, the plan probably will hit a snag because returning them to their realities means that they will die fighting other versions of Spidey.

Check out how Sony describes Spider-Man's upcoming adventure:

"With Spider-Man's identity now revealed, our friendly neighborhood web-slinger is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life as Peter Parker from the high stakes of being a superhero. When Peter asks for help from Doctor Strange, the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man."

What do you think of this theory? Did you note the Scooby-Doo reference? Let us know in the comments!

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