• Release Date: May 10, 2019
• Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Ken Watanabe, Bill Nighy, Chris Geere
• Director: Rob Letterman
• Writer: Nicole Pearlman, Rob Letterman

DETECTIVE PIKACHU MOVIE STARS RYAN REYNOLDS AS PIKACHU

When it comes to a movie starring a talking Pikachu, the biggest question on everyone’s mind is who could bring such a character to life. The game the film is based upon featured a deep-voiced, surly crime-solver in the guise of the electric mouse Pokémon and there’s no shortage of big names who could have been cast. In the end, Ryan Reynolds was tapped to voice Detective Pikachu, a role that may just prove more absurd than Deadpool. Of course, Reynolds’ latest character will also be less foul-mouthed than the Regeneratin’ Degenerate.

MORE DETECTIVE PIKACHU MOVIE CAST

Alongside Reynolds, The Get Down‘s Justice Smith will star in Detective Pikachu. He’ll play the human companion of Pikachu, helping to solve the mysteries of why so many Pokémon have gone missing. Big Little Lies‘ Kathryn Newton will co-star in Detective Pikachu alongside Smith as another human helping the lead Pokémon to solve mysteries. Joining them will be Ken Watanabe, Bill Nighy, and Chris Geere, though their roles are still unknown. But with the movie now filming, we should get a full casting announcement very soon.

THE DETECTIVE PIKACHU MOVIE’S VILLAINS ARE A MYSTERY

While we know who the protagonists of Detective Pikachu will be, we’ve yet to hear anything about the villains. In most Pokémon games and films, a group of villains, like Team Rocket, are generally the antagonists. It’s possible something similar will be done in Detective Pikachu, but it’s also likely one of the new additions to the cast will be the big bad. Watanabe and Nighy certainly seem primed to play villains, especially as they’re some of the few adults in the kid-focused film. Luckily, it shouldn’t be much longer until a synopsis for the film is unveiled.

WHAT IS THE DETECTIVE PIKACHU MOVIE’S STORY?

While we’re still waiting for an official synopsis and character list, we do have an idea of what Detective Pikachu will be about. Back in 2016, the Japanese game Great Detective Pikachu was released, which featured the lead Pokémon solving mysteries with a human partner. Mostly, the crimes involved missing Pokémon and other related events, and it seems clear the movie will follow this lead. Of course, it’s entirely possible something more nefarious will be afoot. The location, meanwhile, will be Ryme City, also the setting for the game and its upcoming English remake.

THERE’S NO DETECTIVE PIKACHU MOVIE TRAILER YET

Though filming has commenced on Detective Pikachu, we’re still awhile out from the release of the first trailer. The good news is that a teaser should show up well before the year is finished. In fact, the May 2019 release date means a full-length look at the movie could also arrive towards the end of this year. Fans will be anxious to see how Pokémon will look in the live-action movie, and Legendary Pictures is unlikely to go much longer without a glimpse of the film. In fact, it’s a safe bet that a teaser will debut during San Diego Comic-Con this summer.

THE DETECTIVE PIKACHU MOVIE POSTER SHOULD ARRIVE SOON

Like the trailer, we haven’t yet seen a poster—or any official art—for Detective Pikachu. Thanks to the 2016 release of Great Detective Pikachu, however, we have an idea of how the lead character will look. What’s more, but the English remake of the game that will more firmly serve as inspiration for the film has followed the same lead. And while movie posters often arrive with trailers, it’s likely Legendary will want to start building buzz early for the offbeat film by releasing some art featuring the lead Pokémon and his human friends.

HOW POKÉMON LOOK IN DETECTIVE PIKACHU MOVIE

Until we see a poster or teaser, there’s no guarantee how Pokémon will appear in Detective Pikachu. Luckily, we have a few clues. While the animation will certainly be better than that in the Nintendo DS games, the trailer for both versions of the title have featured a CGI Pikachu in a Sherlock Holmes- style hat that is sure to be close to how the character will look on the big screen. The first set photos from Detective Pikachu also showed a number of missing Pokémon posters that prove the characters will be faithfully recreated using CGI and won’t differ too drastically from how they normally appear.

ROB LETTERMAN IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE DETECTIVE PIKACHU MOVIE

As soon as it was announced that a Detective Pikachu film was in the works, we learned that Rob Letterman would be helming the project. After making a name for himself with Shark Tale and Monsters vs. Aliens, Letterman made a splash when he helped bring Goosebumps to the big screen. The film was a success and a sequel is in the works, and Letterman will helm a Dungeons & Dragons movie following Detective Pikachu. With his background in directing animation, he was a natural fit for the hybrid Goosebumps, and there’s no reason to believe he won’t bring the same level of expertise to Detective Pikachu.

NICOLE PEARLMAN AND ROB LETTERMAN ARE WRITING THE DETECTIVE PIKACHU MOVIE

Before Letterman came aboard, last summer brought the news that Nicole Pearlman and Alex Hirsch would write Detective Pikachu. With Pearlman best known for co-writing Guardians of the Galaxy with James Gunn and Hirsch responsbile for Gravity Falls, the combo seemed a winning one for the first live-action Pokémon. When the press release for the start of filming emerged recently, however, Hirsch’s name was nowhere to be found. Instead, Pearlman will share final script credit with Letterman. Script rewrites are all too common with blockbusters, so this isn’t a shock. Still Gravity Falls fans may be disappointed.