Which film was the first live-action movie based on the Pokémon franchise?

Pokémon Detective Pikachu was the first live-action film based on the Pokémon franchise. Directed by Rob Letterman, it was released in Japan on May 3, 2019, and in the United States on May 10, 2019.

The film is loosely based on the 2016 video game Detective Pikachu. Its story follows Tim Goodman, who joins forces with a talking Detective Pikachu to investigate the disappearance of Tim’s father, Harry.

Ryan Reynolds provided the voice and motion capture for Detective Pikachu, while Justice Smith played Tim Goodman. The film is sometimes mistaken for Pokémon: The First Movie, but that 1998 production is an animated film. Pokémon Detective Pikachu uses live-action human performances alongside computer-generated Pokémon.