Announced late last year, Pokémon: Detective Pikachu stunned fans with the news that the popular Nintendo game would become a live-action film with Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) voicing the titular little lightning creature. Now, the first trailer has been released!
About the Movie
Joining Reynolds on screen is Justice Smith (Jurassice World: Fallen Kingdom) and Kathryn Newton (Supernatural). Smith plays Tim Goodman, a young man that once dreamed of being a Pokémon Trainer who now is in search of his missing detective father. Newton plays a “sassy journalist” chasing a story and helping the duo along the way.
In the world of Pokémon, only a few of the pocket monsters actually speak “human speech”, with the majority saying some form of their creature name (which could be how that creature got its name). Pikachu is only ever heard saying variations on “Pikachu”, most notably the shortened “Pika Pika”, with the tone of the words usually relaying meaning. Detective Pikachu, however, is different. At least, for Tim Goodman, who can hear everything Pikachu is saying. It quickly becomes apparent in the trailer, though, that Tim is the only one that can understand Pikachu. And with Reynolds as the voice, the cute little electric fur ball gets a little sassy tone inflected into his lines.
Detective Pikachu, it turns out, was Tim’s father’s “wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth” Pokémon partner. He and Tim set out together to find the missing Harry Goodman (Paul Kitson), following the clues all over Ryme City.
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The First Trailer
In this initial trailer, we get our first look at Ryme City and the cohabitation of humans and Pokémon. Immediately, the trailer pulls the audience to Tim, who is all of us: we, too, spent our youth wanting to be a Pokémon Trainer. His room is even covered in Pokémon gym battle posters! Then, we get our first look at Pikachu! The CGI creature is well detailed, and yet looks like a little stuffed animal. And he’s wearing a deerstalker, the style of hat that became famous for detectives thanks to Sherlock Holmes. Pikachu, fully used to not having anyone understand what he is saying, pantomimes his words as he talks, pointing to his lightning bolt shaped tail in warning to Tim that he will electrocute him for his threatening behavior. The pair share a freak out moment as they realize they can understand each other.
Then, they team up.
Through a rendition of The Turtle‘s “Happy Together“ song, we get a glimpse at the world at large, from Jigglypuff singing in a lounge to a small group of Bulbasaur crossing a stream, and a Charizard nearly eating a Pikachu in a caged battle. And it appears that Lucy (Newton) has a Psyduck as her Pokémon companion!
And that team up between Tim and Pikachu? It involves interrogating a Mr. Mime. Yes, that Pokemon is just as bizarre and creepy in “real life”.
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Watch the Trailer
See the full trailer below and gear up for an early summer release by exploring the official movie website! Pokémon: Detective Pikachu stars Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Paul Kitson and Ken Watanabe (Godzilla). It is directed by Rob Letterman (Goosebumps) and is based on the Nintendo video game.
From Legendary & WB Entertainment:
The world of Pokémon comes to life!
The first-ever live-action Pokémon adventure, “Pokemon: Detective Pikachu” stars Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu, the iconic face of the global Pokémon phenomenon—one of the world’s most popular, multi-generation entertainment properties and the most successful media franchise of all time.
Fans everywhere can now experience Pikachu on the big screen as never before, as Detective Pikachu, a Pokémon like no other. The film also showcases a wide array of beloved Pokémon characters, each with its own unique abilities and personality.
The story begins when ace private eye Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son Tim to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry’s former Pokémon partner, Detective Pikachu: a hilariously wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth who is a puzzlement even to himself. Finding that they are uniquely equipped to communicate with one another, Tim and Pikachu join forces on a thrilling adventure to unravel the tangled mystery. Chasing clues together through the neon-lit streets of Ryme City—a sprawling, modern metropolis where humans and Pokémon live side by side in a hyper-realistic live-action world—they encounter a diverse cast of Pokémon characters and uncover a shocking plot that could destroy this peaceful co-existence and threaten the whole Pokémon universe.
“Pokemon: Detective Pikachu” also stars Justice Smith (“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”) as Tim; Kathryn Newton (“Lady Bird,” TV’s “Big Little Lies”) as Lucy, a junior reporter following her first big story; and Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe (“Godzilla,” “The Last Samurai”) as Lt. Yoshida.
Directed by Rob Letterman (“Goosebumps,” “Monsters Vs. Aliens”), the “Pokemon: Detective Pikachu” creative filmmaking team includes two-time Oscar nominated director of photography John Mathieson (“The Phantom of the Opera,” “Gladiator”), production designer Nigel Phelps (“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Lies”) and Oscar-winning editor Mark Sanger (“Gravity”). Visual effects are by Moving Picture Company (“Wonder Woman”) and Framestore (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”).
Launched in 1996 to overwhelming response, the Pokémon brand is a global sensation that now encompasses a robust video gaming fandom with over 300 million units sold worldwide; trading card games available in 11 languages with more than 23.6 billion cards purchased; an anime television series in its 20th season that is available in 98 countries; and animated films that have grossed more than $700 million at the box office; as well as books, manga comics, music, toys, merchandise, and apps, including the wildly popular Pokémon GO, that has been downloaded over 650 million times and is enjoyed across the globe by fans of all ages.
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu comes to theaters on May 10, 2019.
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