Pokemon: Detective Pikachu 2 Still in Development from Legendary Entertainment
It's been nearly four years since Pokemon: Detective Pikachu released in theaters. The movie was a critical and commercial success, and a sequel was quickly announced by Legendary Entertainment shortly after the movie's debut. Unfortunately, the last few years have seen no additional information about the project, and star Justice Smith didn't seem too optimistic about it back in 2021. However, it seems that Legendary might not be finished with the electric mouse detective! In a statement provided to Polygon, a representative for the studio revealed that the sequel is still "in active development," though no additional details were provided.
While many fans expected that the first live-action Pokemon film might center on the main series games, or adapt the adventures of Ash Ketchum, Legendary instead went in a much different direction! Pokemon: Detective Pikachu instead loosely adapted the events of a 3DS spin-off game. While it was an odd choice, the filmmakers did an excellent job bringing Pokemon to life on the big screen. The movie received heavy praise for the faithfulness of the film's Pokemon, and fans have been begging to see a sequel for years now.
Interestingly enough, a second Detective Pikachu video game was announced for Nintendo Switch shortly after the film's release. The 3DS game ended on a cliffhanger, with Tim Goodman still searching for his missing father. In the movie, Tim's father is revealed to have been combined with Detective Pikachu thanks to Mewtwo, but The Pokemon Company has stated that the game's conclusion will play out differently. Ironically, information on Detective Pikachu 2 for Nintendo Switch has also dried up, leading many fans to assume that it was cancelled. The Pokemon Company has stated that the game is still in the works, but no footage or screenshots have been released.
After all this time, it would be really great to see Detective Pikachu sequels in theaters and on Nintendo Switch, but until we get something concrete, fans should continue to temper their expectations!
Are you excited by the idea of a second Detective Pikachu film? Are you a fan of the first movie? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!