DVD Exclusive magazine, a sister publication of Video Business, is recognizing Warner Home Video's series of animated Scooby-Doo DVD premiere movies and special editions of Scooby-Doo theatrical films and TV shows with a DVD Exclusive Franchise Award.

Warner has released more than 35 Scooby-Doo home video titles, which have sold a combined 30 million copies, according to the studio.

Last year, Scooby-Doo licensed merchandise generated more than $750 million.

"Scooby-Doo is a billion-dollar brand and growing with no end in sight," said Jeff Baker, VP of non-theatrical franchise marketing.

After several successful Scooby-Doo TV cartoon series stretching from 1969 through the '80s, the Hanna-Barbera franchise was reignited in the late '90s with a series of movies produced exclusively for video. Some featured an original reprise of the popular theme song by the likes of the B-52s, and most starred the original voice actors including Frank Welker (Fred and Scooby-Doo), Nicole Jaffe (Velma), Heather North (Daphne) and Casey Kasem (Shaggy).

This year, Warner has a record two new animated Scooby-Doo movies for video, including Scooby-Doo and the Monster of Mexico on Sept. 30. Both are eligible in the animated DVD premiere movie categories of the annual DVD Exclusive Awards, to be held in early December.

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, the next live action movie again starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr., will be released early next year in theaters.

A new DVD premiere movie also will be released next year.

Warner executives attribute the franchise's longevity to its cross-generational appeal.

"I think one of the beauties of the property right now is that parents recall it nostalgically and can enjoy it with their kids, whether that be episodic, made-for-video or theatrical," said Dorinda Marticorena, WHV executive director of kid marketing. Details about the DVD Exclusive Awards program will be announced later this month.

Additional reporting by Wendy Wilson