Geekery: Ryan Reynolds is Detective Pikachu in New Live Action Pokémon Movie
The Nintendo 3DS adventure game is coming to the big screen with an all star cast, nice looking CG, and some cute critters. It’s still a little… odd.
I’ll admit, my knowledge of Pokémon is pretty shallow. My kids would list off the different kinds and their abilities for hours if you let them a few years ago (they have since graduated to Fortnite and Overwatch); I have a lot of friends that share what they catch on Go on social media; and my LGS holds nights for the card game on a regular basis. I understand enough for the trailer to make sense.
Given the boom in popularity, bringing Pikachu and the other pocket monsters to the big screen was only a matter of time. Using a recent 3DS game that centers on solving mysteries with a Pikachu that can talk as a basis also makes sense, even though it doesn’t include his buddy Ash. Casting… well, try your best not to think this is some sort of Deadpool spin off in an alternate universe while you watch the first trailer.
They’re definitely trying to pull in a mixed audience of fans, non-fans, and families here. There have been complaints that the CG Pokémon are too hyper realistic and look creepy, but they look ok to me. What’s weird is hearing Reynolds’ voice come out of an adorable fuzzy, yellow critter with big ears that’s wearing deerstalker. It’s really hard for me to take that as intended. This will be a late night curiosity watch when it shows up on HBOGo for me.
Along with Reynolds the cast includes Justice Smith, Ken Watanabe, Suki Waterhouse, Rita Ora, and Bill Nighy. Rob Letterman – the man behind Monsters vs Aliens and the live action Goosebumps movie – is in the director’s chair.
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu floofs its way into theaters May 11, 2019.
