Pokémon Detective Pikachu, the first live-action Pokémon film, was released in 2019.
The film premiered in Tokyo on April 25, 2019, and was released internationally in May 2019. It is loosely based on the 2016 Nintendo 3DS game Detective Pikachu, which features a talking version of Pikachu who helps solve mysteries.
Ryan Reynolds provides the voice and performance reference for Detective Pikachu, while Justice Smith plays Tim Goodman. The story combines live-action human characters and environments with computer-generated Pokémon. Rob Letterman directed the film, which was produced by Legendary Entertainment in partnership with The Pokémon Company and Nintendo.
The movie is distinct from the animated Pokémon theatrical films and from the main anime series. It was also the first Pokémon film to present the creatures in a major live-action feature setting. That distinction makes 2019 a useful milestone in the franchise’s 30-year history.