‘Detective Pikachu’ Film Gains Ken Watanabe

We’re still not really sure what Universal and Legendary Pictures are planning with their upcoming live-action Pokemon film Detective Pikachu, but their cast sure is getting good.

Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai, Inception) has just been brought in to join the cast, apparently in a role that was specifically created for the film (so says The Hollywood Reporter, in any case). Watanabe will play a character named Detective Yoshida, and theoretically, he might be someone Detective Pikachu works with or for.

Ryan Reynolds has been attached to star as the electric type pokemon Detective Pikachu, who reportedly sets himself apart from other pikachus by presenting himself as a self-styled investigator who is good at finding things.  Detective Pikachus is a world-class detective and exceptionally intelligent talking Pikachu that only one other character in the film (Justice Smith’s Tim Goodman) can understand. Reynolds performs both the voice and facial motion capture for the character.

Justice Smith (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) and Kathryn Newton (Big Little Lies) are also on board. The story is set into motion when Smith’s character’s father is kidnapped, forcing the teen to team up with Pikachu in order to find him.  Smith’s character was an aspiring Pokémon trainer and insurance agent looking for his father, who is missing. He is also Detective Pikachu’s partner and the only person capable of hearing and understanding Detective Pikachu.  Kathryn Newton plays Lucy Stevens, a reporter who has a Psyduck.

Director Rob Letterman (Goosebumps) is helming the film from the director’s chair, and word is production will start with shooting beginning later this month in London. The original script is by Nicole Perlman and Alex Hirsch, with Eric Pearson and Tom McCarthy completing some ‘production polishes’ on the final shooting draft.

Detective Pikachu is set to hit theaters on May 10th, 2019.