The live-action Pokemon movie has found its female lead.
Variety is reporting that Kathryn Newton has been cast as the female lead in the upcoming Detective Pikachu movie, which is based on a 2016 video game released only in Japan.
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Variety didn’t have details about the role, but leaked audition tapes suggests that the character is a junior news reporter who teams with the male lead and his Pikachu to solve a mystery about why Pokemon are suddenly going feral and attack their trainer.
Newton is best known for playing Reese Witherspoon’s daughter in the HBO series Big Little Lies. She’s also appeared in Supernatural and Halt and Catch Fire.
Newton will co-star along The Get Down‘s Justice Smith, who was previously announced as the male lead for the Detective Pikachu movie. Rob Letterman is directing the film and Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Nicole Perlman is co-writing the film with Alex Hirsch.
Legendary Pictures has not announced who will voice the title character, but they are allegedly eying stars like Hugh Jackman and Dwayne Johnson for the role. In the video games, Detective Pikachu can actually speak to his trainer, but at the cost of using his attacks and abilities.
No release date has been announced for Detective Pikachu, but the movie is set to start filming in early 2018.
