Advertisement

Freddie Prinze Jr. Says He Has 'Regret' Over Scooby-Doo Role, 'Zero Interest' in a Third Sequel

Editorial use only. No book cover usage. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Hannah Barbera Prods/Atlas/Kobal/Shutterstock (5879177f) Freddie Prinze Jr, Matthew Lillard Scooby Doo - 2002 Director: Raja Gosnell Hannah Barbera Prods / Atlas Entertainment USA Scene Still Games Scooby-Doo; PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 08: Freddie Prinze Jr. attends the ''Christmas With You'' special screening at The Bay Theater on November 08, 2022 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix)

Hannah Barbera Prods/Atlas/Kobal/Shutterstock; Charley Gallay/Getty for Netflix

Freddie Prinze Jr. isn't reuniting with Mystery Inc. anytime soon.

After originating the live-action role of Fred Jones, the actor, 47, said a sequel to his two previous Scooby-Doo films "wouldn't be something I would do" after bad experiences on set. "I have zero interest, it was tricky," he told TooFab.

"It wouldn't be for me, man. There was too much bait-and-switch on the first one. The studio was not honest with me in any way, shape or form. They were not straightforward," said Prinze, adding: "I've been on two jobs where I've had regret doing it, and Scooby was one of them."

RELATED: Freddie Prinze Jr. Says He Wanted to 'Fight' His I Know What You Did Last Summer Director Over Clashes on Set

He explained that he "didn't fully appreciate" the movie until seeing the impact it had on young fans when Scooby-Doo premiered in 2002, followed by the 2004 sequel Monsters Unleashed.

"Then, all of a sudden, I was like, 'Hey man, we did good. There are legit millions of people who love this movie. It's not the movie I wanted to make, but I appreciate that,'" Prinze continued. "And it made me change my outlook on it.

Editorial use only. No book cover usage. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Jasin Boland/Hannah Barbera Prods/Atlas/Kobal/Shutterstock (5879177c) Sarah Michelle Gellar, Linda Cardellini, Matthew Lillard, Freddie Prinze Jr Scooby Doo - 2002 Director: Raja Gosnell Hannah Barbera Prods / Atlas Entertainment USA Scene Still Games Scooby-Doo
Editorial use only. No book cover usage. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Jasin Boland/Hannah Barbera Prods/Atlas/Kobal/Shutterstock (5879177c) Sarah Michelle Gellar, Linda Cardellini, Matthew Lillard, Freddie Prinze Jr Scooby Doo - 2002 Director: Raja Gosnell Hannah Barbera Prods / Atlas Entertainment USA Scene Still Games Scooby-Doo

Jasin Boland/Hannah Barbera Prods/Atlas/Kobal/Shutterstock

James Gunn, who directed the first two live-action adaptations, responded to a fan on Twitter last year who suggested he round out the trilogy with the gang reuniting for Scooby's funeral. "Like The Big Chill with Scooby-Doo? Ok. I'm in," he wrote in May 2022.

RELATED: Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr.'s Relationship Timeline

Prinze recalled another "difficult job" in the same interview, recalling that I Know What You Did Last Summer director Jim Gillespie "wanted a different actor" to play his role of Ray Bronson.

"He was very direct in the fact that, 'I don't want you in this movie.' So when that's your first job and you hear those words, it just wrecks you, man. It just wrecks you," said Prinze, adding: "I wanted to fight that guy two or three different times."

RELATED VIDEO: Sarah Michelle Gellar & Freddie Prinze Jr. On Splitting Chores, Raising Kids, & Their Love Story

The Wrestling with Freddie podcast host said he's "not upset" he did the movie, which "launched my whole career" and introduced him to his costar and future wife Sarah Michelle Gellar — who also starred opposite him as Daphne Blake in the Scooby-Doo franchise.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"I wouldn't have any of the things I have without that movie, I wouldn't have my wife, I wouldn't have all the other movies I've done, I wouldn't have this podcast," said Prinze. "I'm here because of that struggle and because of that pain and it was those things."