Pokemon has long been a stalwart part of both the anime and gaming worlds. With each passing year, more Pokemon video games, anime episodes, and films arrive to explore new sides of the pocket monster-centric universe. In 2019, Pokemon: Detective Pikachu broke the mold by giving Pokemon fans the first live-action project that focused on a mystery-solving electric rodent voice by Ryan Reynolds and joined by Justice Smith. Thanks to a recent leak, not only have various aspects of Pokemon’s anime and gaming future been revealed, but reportedly, major aspects regarding the live-action stories of the franchise have also been available to those following the beloved franchise.
For those who might have missed Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, the story focused on a locale known as Ryme City. Rather than strictly seeing Pokemon trainers working to increase their skills, Ryme saw humans and pocket monsters living side-by-side. Justice Smith’s character, Tim Goodman, finds himself encountering a talking Pikachu that sets him off on an adventure during this feature-length film. On top of the live-action film, reports have arrived that Netflix is working on a live-action television series, which makes sense considering the success the streaming service has seen with the likes of One Piece and Avatar: The Last Airbender.
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Pokemon’s Live-Action Future
According to recent leaks from the Pokemon universe, the Detective Pikachu sequel, which has long been in a state of limbo, will be dubbed “The Great Detective Pikachu“. The movie has reportedly been in development since 2021 and is directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts. Vogt-Roberts, for those who need a refresher, was the director of Kong: Skull Island and The Kings of Summer, and is also set to direct Netflix’s live-action Mobile Suit: Gundam film. While these details have found their way online for the potential sequel, it is still unknown as to whether we will see Detective Pikachu make a comeback to the silver screen or if this project will ever come to fruition.
The leak also had some tidbits regarding the Netflix live-action television series that will add some new flair to the Pokemon franchise. Dubbed “Project Discovery”, the first season will reportedly be eight episodes in total, with potentially five seasons being considered overall. Aside from these facts, no other details have emerged when it comes to the potential streaming service series.
What Would a Detective Pikachu 2 Look Like?
Considering how Detective Pikachu ended, it would be interesting to debate where a sequel could go. The pocket monster sleuth was revealed to be a human who was transformed into a Pikachu, with Ryan Reynolds’ character returned to his original state in the movie’s final scenes. Would a new Detective Pikachu be made for the sequel? Would we focus on completely new characters that would explore the Pokemon world?
Alongside the live-action updates, the Pokemon leak also touched upon several Pokemon games that are in the works. On the anime front, a new movie is seemingly in the works that will be set in the original town that started it all for Ash Ketchum, Kanto. Pokemon Horizons is also set to continue, focusing on the story of Liko and Roy as they attempt to dodge the advances of the Explorers while forging a new path for themselves as the anime’s protagonists. On all fronts, it seems that the pocket monsters won’t be slowing down anytime soon.
Want to stay updated on the future of Pokemon across all mediums? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on pocket monsters and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.