'Pokemon' Live-Action Movie 'Detective Pikachu' Cast Justin Smith in Lead Role
The live-action treatment of "Pokemon" found its lead star. "The Get Down" actor Justin Smith will headline the big screen adaptation of "Detective Pikachu."
Smith's exact role in the "Pokemon" live-action has not been detailed in the reports. He is, however, the first actor picked to board the movie.
The 22-year-old budding star caught the eye of the producers when he led the Baz Luhrmann musical drama "The Get Down." Despite Netflix canceling the series last April after five episodes, Smith's career picked up. He was also added to the cast of "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" with Chris Pratt.
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The 2016 video game release of "Detective Pikachu" follows Pikachu and his trainer Tim Goodman as they solve mysterious events involving Pokemon in Japan. Last October, audition tapes for the film adaptation surfaced and revealed that "Detective Pikachu" could feature two leads named Tim and Lucy.
Tim comes across Pikachu, the most famous of the Pokemon character while searching for his father. Lucy is a junior journalist chasing a story on some Pokemon turning against their trainers and she has a Psyduck Pokemon helping her out.
Rob Letterman will direct "Detective Pikachu" from a script that Nicole Perlman ("Guardians of the Galaxy") and Alex Hirsch ("Gravity Falls") penned. Legendary will produce the film with Universal Pictures distributing the movie in the U.S. and other territories. Toho, a long-time partner of The Pokémon Company, will distribute the film in Japan.
Legendary discussed mounting a "Pokemon" live-action movie with The Pokemon Company on the heels of the global popularity of the mobile game "Pokemon Go." The company bought the rights for the film in July 2016. The live-action has no theater release date for now.
"Detective Pikachu" will lay the ground for a potential movie franchise for the live-action films. Legendary will have plenty of materials to adapt since "Pokemon" has over 20 animated features, TV shows and video games.
