It’s been almost 19 years since the last Pokémon movie was released, so Rob Letterman’s Pokémon: Detective Pikachu has been a long time coming. The film is set for release on May 3rd in Japan, and May 10th in the UK and US. There seems to be a lot of trust and backing behind the current iteration of Pokémon, what with it being the highest-grossing media franchise of all time, as there’s already a sequel planned, with 22 jump Street’s Oren Uziel penned to write the screenplay. We expect plenty of people to don their Pikachu Pokemon costumes for the premier of this one!
Detective Pikachu has already generated plenty of buzz, and those who have been lucky enough to catch advanced screenings praising the film and Ryan Reynolds’ voice acting. The film also seems to depart somewhat from the fight-tournament focused games and animated series & films (what with this film being based on the 2016 game), though to what extent remains to be seen, and we’re sure to see at least some of the classic Pokémon fights and training. This is the first live action version of Pokémon, and looks to have significant crossover appeal in both Europe & US and Japan. The fact that Ryan Reynolds is voicing Pikachu also has everyone excited, as they’re hoping to see if this role will be referenced in the upcoming Deadpool 3!
As in the 2016 game, Pikachu is helping Tim Goodman solve the mystery and hopefully find his missing ace detective father, Harry Goodman. Pikachu is also Harry’s former Pokemon partner, so Pikachu has good reason to help Tim. Moreover, Tim is one of the few people in the world who can actually understand Pikachu’s wise-cracking ways - everybody else seems to just hear “Pikachu”. So, it’s not just Ash Ketchum who understands Pikachu, and it looks as if Pikachu has a far more interesting backstory than just fighting other Pokémon in tournaments!
Will Pokémon: Detective Pikachu be this season’s surprise summer hit, with both critics and audiences? There’s always one film that comes out every year or two that manages to appeal to both long-time fans and newbies, the young and the old, and people worldwide. Whilst Pokémon has often been seen as a bit of a cash-grab, what with its slogan (“Gotta catch ‘em all!) and sometimes cute creatures made to appeal to humanity’s warm-and-fuzzy side, we are sure that Pokémon: Detective Pikachu will help wipe away at least some of that cynicism. Oh, and to answer any questions about Pokémon fights and their cruelty - many Pokémon are actually intelligent species that want to be caught and taught by a caring individual who will help increase their battling prowess!