'Detective Pikachu' News: Pokemon Film Casting and Release Date Revealed
Fans of Pokémon will be excited to know that the upcoming live-action movie, "Detective Pikachu," which is based on the popular Pokémon franchise, has a confirmed release date.
According to Deadline, Universal Pictures has announced that the movie will be released on May 10, 2019. This news came after reports that Ryan Reynolds will star as the titular lead. It remains to be seen how the 41-year-old "Deadpool" actor will portray the much-loved Pokémon, but The Hollywood Reporter has noted that he will be playing a Pikachu who is a self-proclaimed investigator.
Aside from Reynolds, the film will also star 22-year-old Justice Smith from "The Get Down" and "Jurrasic World: Fallen Kingdom" and 20-year-old Kathryn Newton from "Supernatural" and "Big Little Lies." Not much is known about their characters, but the plot of the motion-capture movie will reportedly revolve around the kidnapping of Smith's father. Reynolds and Newton, who plays a journalist, will then help with the investigation.
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Universal Pictures seems to have high expectations for the film given its massive audience. As per Heroic Hollywood, the company's official statement emphasized the popularity of the franchise.
"The Pokémon has delighted fans of all ages around the world for over two decades. With more than 300 million video games sold worldwide, 23.6 billion Pokémon TCG cards shipped to 74 countries, and an animated series spanning 20 seasons, Pokémon is one of the most successful entertainment properties in the world," the statement reads.
"Detective Pikachu" will be helmed by Rob Letterman, who directed the 2015 film adaptation of "Goosebumps." Meanwhile, the script will be written by Alex Hirsch and Nicole Perlman, who previously worked on "Gravity Falls" and "Guardians of the Galaxy," respectively.
Production of the film is set to begin in London next month. Once completed, Universal Pictures is set to distribute the film worldwide, while Toho will handle distribution within Japan, much like the previous Toho and Legendary partnership for the "Godzilla" reboot.
