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Ryan Reynolds Cast To Play Pikachu In 'Detective Pikachu' Movie

Ryan Reynolds Cast To Play Pikachu In 'Detective Pikachu' Movie

The Deadpool star will play the iconic lightning mouse in the Pokémon spin-off live action adventure which will start filming early in 2018.

Chris Ogden

Chris Ogden

Ryan Reynolds has been catching a lot of great roles over the past few years but now he's going to catch 'em all. Sorry, we'll get our coats.

The Deadpool star is shifting away from his X-rated superhero and starring as Pikachu in the live-action Pokémon movie Detective Pikachu.

Starring alongside Reynolds in the first non-animated Pokémon adventure will be Justice Smith, who will star in the upcoming Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Big Little Lies' Kathryn Newton.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Reynolds' role as Pikachu will be motion capture while the rest of the cast alongside him will be normal human beings. This sounds amazing.

Detective Pikachu is based on the Pokémon spin-off game of the same name, which was released in Japan last year, in which players work with a talking Pikachu to solve mysteries.

Reports say that the film will start with the kidnap of Smith's character's father, forcing the teenager to team up with Pikachu to find him. Newton will play a "sassy" journalist who aids them in their quest. Sounds like a laugh.

The film is due to start shooting in mid-January 2018 in London and will be directed by Rob Letterman, who recently directed the live action version of R.L. Stine's Goosebumps.

Just in case you've been living under a rock for the last 20 years, lightning mouse Pikachu is the most famous icon of the Pokémon franchise which has taken the world by storm since it emerged in the 1990s.

Nintendo's Pokémon franchise has sold over 300 million video games worldwide, shipped out billions of trading cards and has been the subject of a long-running animated series, so it's easy to see why producers believe the film will be a smash hit. Although I wouldn't hold your breath for Oscar season.

Fans of the franchise are simultaneously delighted and disappointed by the casting choice - notoriously short and grouchy Danny DeVito had long been the fans' favourite to voice Pikachu in English.


Cos-play mash-ups of Deadpool and Detective Pikachu are now inevitable, and fans are wondering how Reynolds' raunchy humour as Deadpool will suit Pikachu's family-friendly vibes.

Quite how Reynolds will be harnessing Pikachu's electric powers in Detective Pikachu are unknown at the moment, but I hope we get to see Reynolds act out at least one good Thundershock. Pi... Ka... Chuuuuuuu!

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Entertainment, TV and Film, Nintendo, Ryan Reynolds