Pokemon, as a brand, has pretty much been extremely popular ever since it came out two decades ago. With the release of the gamePokemon GO, there is a renewed, feverish love for the property, and that has led Legendary Pictures to fast trackDetective Pikachu, a live-actionPokemonmovie, which they are hoping to start production on next year. It looks like the studio is eyeing some big name talent to write it, asGuardians of the GalaxywriterNicole PerlmanandGravity FallscreatorAlex Hirschare reportedly in talks to pen the script.
According toVariety, the pair are currently in negotiations to write thePokemonmovie, which will be based on theDetective Pikachugame. There have been rumors of a live-actionPokemonmovie being in the works for a very long time, with writers likeMax Landishaving put together various takes on the material. There was even a bizarre trailer that surfaced online back in 2010 that many thought was from alive-action Pokemon movie. Many fans who have been wanting aPokemonmovie are probably surprised that it will center on the new character ofDetective Pikachu, but that is the route Legendary is looking to go with it.
While the deal isn’t closed, the writers that are reportedly being eyed for the project should be encouraging.Perlmanhas been writing movies for Marvel for quite some time now. In addition to writingGuardians of the Galaxy, she was brought in to punch up the script forThor, and has been tasked with writing the highly anticipatedCaptain Marvel.Hirschhas very different sensibilities, having created the Disney XD cult hitGravity Falls, as well as writing episodes of the eccentric Cartoon Network seriesThe Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack. Even though the two are quite different, their sensibilities seem very complimentary and could be just the blend that a tricky project like a live-actionPokemon movieneeds.
Pokemonwas first introduced in Japan in 1996 and has absolutely captivated fans of all ages around the world ever since. With more than 279 millionvideo gamessold worldwide, 21.5 billion trading cards shipped to 74 countries, and an animated series spanning 19 seasons,Pokemonis easily one of the mostsuccessful entertainmentbrands in the world. That being the case, a live-action movie has been kicking around for qutie a while, but Legendary Pictures recently won the rights to take on the project and decided to fast track it.
Very little is known about the actual story that the live-actionPokemonmovie will tell, but fans should likely be able to gain some optimism shouldPerlmanandHirschofficially board the project. There is no word yet on who the studio has in mind for a director, or when they are hoping to release the as of yet untitled live-actionPokemonmovie. We will be sure to keep you updated as more details on the project become available. To get some idea of what to maybe expect, you can check out the trailer for theDetective Pikachugame, which was released in Japan earlier this year.
