‘Pokemon: Detective Pikachu’ Sequel In The Works Months Before It Opens At Movie Theaters

The first live-action film featuring Pokemon characters, Detective Pikachu, is not slated to be released until May 10, but that hasn’t stopped Legendary Pictures from already starting work on its sequel.

On January 25, the Hollywood Reporter revealed that Oren Uziel has been hired to write the script for a second film in the series, a move that the publication said “is a sign of confidence” from the production company that they believe the movie will be a huge blockbuster.

Uziel previously penned screenplays for major motion pictures such as 22 Jump Street, The Cloverfield Paradox, Freaks of Nature, and Shimmer Lake. He also helped write the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog film, which is scheduled to open on November 8.

The first Pokemon: Detective Pikachu movie features Ryan Reynolds as the voice of the title character, a yellow creature with a lightning bolt-shaped tail that has special electrical abilities and is very good at finding things.

According to the film’s official website, the plot revolves around the mysterious disappearance of Ryme City private investigator Harry Goodman (Paul Kitson). His 21-year-old son, Tim Goodman (Justice Smith), needs to find him and winds up joining forces with his father’s former Pokemon partner, Detective Pikachu, who he can oddly communicate with.

https://www.facebook.com/detectivepikachumovie/photos/a.2145878568961494/2218557438360273/?type=3&theater

The Pokemon private eye is described as “a hilariously wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth who is a puzzlement even to himself.”

The movie also stars Kathryn Newton as Lucy, a junior reporter; Ken Watanabe as police lieutenant Yoshida; and Bill Nighy, Rita Ora, Suki Waterhouse, Chris Geere, and Rob Delaney in undisclosed roles.

Director Rob Letterman told IGN that before they settled on Reynolds to lend his voice to Pikachu, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Danny DeVito were among the people considered.

“There was something delightful about [Reynolds’] big personality and voice that he has in this small package. There’s something really fun about that idea. It sounds like a mismatch, but it’s really organic. It’s really hilarious, they’re hilarious together,” said Letterman.

Watch the Pokemon: Detective Pikachu trailer below.

First launched in Japan in 1996, the Pokemon franchise is comprised of trading cards (more than 23.6 billion have been sold in 11 different languages), video games (more than 300 million units sold worldwide), an animated television series (now in its 20th season and available in 98 countries), animated movies (grossing more than $700 million), books, manga comics, music, toys, apps, and other assorted merchandise.

There is no word yet on what Uziel’s Detective Pikachu sequel will be about or if any of the first film’s stars will be returning.