Skip to main content

Everyone’s favorite Pokémon turns gumshoe in ‘Detective Pikachu’ trailer

POKÉMON Detective Pikachu - Official Trailer #1

If you’ve ever wanted Pokémon to walk among us, Detective Pikachu will give you a glimpse into what that world would look like next May. Judging by the first trailer, shown above, a world filled with pocket monsters would be both whimsical and somewhat frightening.

Detective Pikachu is an adaptation of the game of the same name and marks the first time Pokémon will appear in a live-action film. Taking place in Ryme City, 21-year-old Tim Goodman has long since dropped his dream of becoming a Pokémon trainer. When his private eye father goes missing, Tim runs into Detective Pikachu. As it turns out, Tim is the only human who can understand Pikachu’s English. Everyone else simply hears, “Pika! Pika!”

Detective Pikachu looks to be a wholesome buddy comedy with just enough edge to appeal to adults. Voiced by Ryan Reynolds, Pikachu doesn’t at all come off as he did in the game, where he was coffee-obsessed and sounded like he smoked a carton of cigarettes a day. Admittedly, it’s a bit weird hearing Deadpool embody everyone’s favorite Pokémon, but somehow it seems like it may work. Reynolds stars alongside Justice Smith (Tim Goodman), Rita Ora, Ken Watanabe, and Kathryn Newton.

Mr. Mime (Warner Bros. Pictures) Warner Bros. Pictures

As far as Pokémon go, the movie looks to largely feature first generation Pokémon. Pikachu himself is fluffy and adorable and just how you probably imagined him to be if he spawned in the real world. We see an odd looking Jigglypuff on a table in a restaurant, a pack of cute Bulbasaurs waddling through a riverbed, and a ferocious Charizard breathing fire. By far the weirdest Pokémon on screen is Mr. Mime, who appears to dwell in a dark basement. If that isn’t creepy enough, his facial expressions and demeanor are sure to make you feel a bit uneasy.

The Detective Pikachu game launched on 3DS last year. The puzzle-adventure game was surprisingly well-received for its humor, story, and presentation. While the history of video game movie adaptations is filled with disappointments, Detective Pikachu sure does look promising.

Detective Pikachu releases in theaters on May 11, 2019.

Editors' Recommendations

Steven Petite
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Steven is a writer from Northeast Ohio currently based in Louisiana. He writes about video games and books, and consumes…
Solve crimes adorably when ‘Detective Pikachu’ launches this March
detective pikachu march new trailer detectivepikachuconcerned

Detective Pikachu: Get Ready to Crack the Case! - Nintendo 3DS

The Nintendo Switch is the talk of the town, but we shouldn't count out the 3DS quite yet. The aging handheld still has plenty of great games on the horizon, and perhaps none are more adorable than Detective Pikachu. The game is only a month away, and Nintendo has released a new trailer showing off the little Pokémon's crime-solving skills.

Read more
Discover one Pokémon’s love of coffee in ‘Detective Pikachu’ for Nintendo 3DS
Detective Pikachu

Detective Pikachu will come to North America this spring, The Pokémon Company has announced. The spin-off adventure starring the famous pocket monster lands on Nintendo 3DS on March 23.

Although Pikachu is the titular character, users will actually control Tim Goodman, a boy of about Pokémon trainer age in search of his missing father. Together, Tim and Pikachu will explore Ryme City for clues to crack the case.

Read more
Sorry, Danny DeVito fans: ‘Detective Pikachu’ will star Ryan Reynolds
'Detective Pikachu' gets a May 2019 release date
detective pikachu movie director great

Ryan Reynolds has played multiple superheroes, a manipulative music executive, and a paranormal police officer, but his greatest role is yet to come. The actor has been cast as the lead in the upcoming film Detective Pikachu, and will undoubtedly offer a different take on the character than the squeaky noises we've previously heard.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Reynolds will also be providing motion capture for the character, and the film will begin shooting next January in London. It will reportedly release on May 10, 2019.

Read more