Who’s that trainer? It’s… a Netflix star!
Pokémon’s debut live-action movie, Detective Pikachu, will star Justice Smith, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The relative newcomer is the first cast member named for the upcoming project, which is in the early stages of production.
The Hollywood Reporter says Smith plays the lead in the Pokémon film, although what that role is remains unknown. Also unclear is whether Detective Pikachu will follow the storyline as the Nintendo 3DS eShop game of the same name, as details remain light on what to expect from the movie. As a reminder for those of us stateside who never got the chance to play Great Detective Pikachu, the game stars a talking, crime-solving Pikachu who teams up with a human partner to help out fellow Pokémon in need.
Smith is best known for his work on Netflix’s The Get Down, which recently wrapped its second (and final) season. He’s also been seen in theaters before, as part of Paper Towns. Things are on the up-and-up for him, Pokémon aside; Smith has also signed on for the second Jurassic World movie, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, which is in theaters next June.
Whether Danny DeVito will join the cast as the voice of Pikachu remains sadly unknown.
