What was the first Pokémon film made as a live-action feature?

Detective Pikachu was the first live-action Pokémon feature film.

Released in 2019, Pokémon: Detective Pikachu adapts the Detective Pikachu video game rather than retelling the plot of the original animated television series. The story follows Tim Goodman as he investigates the disappearance of his father with the help of a talking Pikachu voiced by Ryan Reynolds.

The film combines live-action actors and locations with digitally created Pokémon. Rob Letterman directed it, and the cast included Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Ken Watanabe and Bill Nighy. It was produced as a Hollywood feature for theatrical release.

Pokémon: The First Movie—Mewtwo Strikes Back is often mistaken for the answer because it was the franchise’s first theatrical film, but it is animated. Detective Pikachu was the first Pokémon feature to use live-action filmmaking as its primary format.