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.

Recommended Videos

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.

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…
5 questions we have after the new Pokémon Violet/Scarlet trailer
Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly.

The Pokémon Company officially announced that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will launch on November 18 and provided us with a brand new trailer filled with more information. Alongside the clip, The Pokémon Company shared several details about the game, such as the fact that it’ll be a true open-world game with a four-player co-op.

However, we have some lingering questions about what we learned today, as the trailer left some details vague.
How open is the world?
The Pokémon Company says that players can explore the region in a non-linear fashion, but to what extent? Will the game just straight-up thrust us into the region like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild did?

Read more
The best video game movies, ranked by Rotten Tomatoes
Split image of Sonic the Hedgehog, Rampage, & Detective Pikachu.

Video game adaptations have a notorious reputation for being awful. Decades of bad movies will do that, as directors high (Duncan Jones, Justin Kurzel) and low (Uwe Boll, pretty much everyone else) have struggled to translate the success in one medium to another. What makes video games, which have only grown to be more cinematic throughout the years, so hard to adapt? They have built-in appealing characters, narrative mythologies ripe for exploration, and even distinct visual looks that make them ideal for silver screen adaptation.

With Uncharted being the latest in a long line of disappointments (it's currently at 38% on Rotten Tomatoes), it begs the question: Have there been any decent films made from a video game? The genre has its fair share of so-bad-it's good films (Alone in the Dark and BloodRayne are good for some cheap laughs), but there have been only a handful of films, all released in the last five years, that have fully satisfied both audiences and critics.
Rampage (2018) - 51%

Read more
How to play Attackers in Pokémon Unite: Pikachu, Greninja, Decidueye, and more
Pokémon Unite's key art.

Pokémon Unite is the latest MOBA to hit the market, featuring many of the same tropes seen in League of Legends and Dota 2 -- but with less toxicity and more adorable Pokémon. Nineteen characters were playable at launch, but subsequent updates have radically expanded its roster. Jump into the game today, and you'll find a Pokémon suitable for just about every type of player style.

If you're looking to deal big damage to the opposing team and stop their march toward victory, you'll want to take a close look at the Attacker group. What they lack in Endurance and Support skills they more than make up for with devastating ranged attacks, capable of taking out the strongest of foes in just a few seconds.

Read more