Detective Pikachu (2019) is the first Hollywood film adaptation of the hugely popular Japanese game Pokemon. Since its release, there have been frequent talks about a sequel, but what is the current status of the project? Detective Pikachu is the story of Tim, a young man who used to love Pokemon, who visits Ryme City, where humans and Pokemon coexist, to search for his missing father, Harry, and meets Harry's partner, Detective Pikachu. Ryan Reynolds was in charge of the voice and motion capture of Pikachu, and it became a worldwide hit.
In fact, this sequel project was originally started before the release of the first film. In 2020, it was reported that Oren Uziel, who worked on The Lost City (2022) and 22 Jump Street (2014), would be the screenwriter, but in February 2023, it was revealed that Uziel had left the project. The following month, it was reported that Chris Galletta of "Kings of Summer" (2013) was appointed as the new screenwriter, and Jonathan Kreisel of "Portlandia" (2011-2018) was in negotiations to direct.
While waiting for further progress, in January 2024, Justice Smith, who plays Pikachu's partner Tim, mentioned the project. "I haven't heard anything," he said, "I haven't received any calls from anyone. I'm just waiting for that call." Since then, no progress has been reported on the sequel.
In addition to the personnel changes in the creative team, there is a possibility that this project may have been delayed, looking back at the industry trends since 2019. In 2020, the spread of the new coronavirus infection and in 2023, the double strike in Hollywood forced the production of many works to be canceled or postponed. It is believed that this project was also affected by these factors.
No information has been released about the cast of the sequel, but Ryan Reynolds, who plays Pikachu, is expected to appear in some role. As of January, Smith had only received press-level information, but in the past, he has said that he would "definitely like to participate" in the sequel, and is positive about reprising his role. If Smith continues in the role, we may also be able to expect the return of Kathryn Newton, who played the role of rookie reporter Lucy. For now, we will just have to wait for new information to arrive.