The first picture from the movie blockbuster Scooby-Doo has been released but without any sign of the hound himself.

Raja Gosnell is currently directing the film version of the popular cartoon series in Australia.

Scooby-Doo will be a computer generated image and will be added to the action later.

The film stars Freddie Prinze Jr as Fred, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Daphne, Matthew Lillard as Shaggy and Linda Cardellini as Velma.

British comic Rowan Atkinson also appears as the film's baddie Mondavarious.

Pesky kids

Gosnell's previous projects include Home Alone 3 and Drew Barrymore's comedy Never Been Kissed.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? was created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and first appeared on American TV screens in 1969.

The plots involved the four young characters and Scooby-Doo riding in The Mystery Machine to solve ghostly problems, ruining the dastardly plans of evil adults to take over the world.

The film is due for release in 2002.