Attention all Pokemon fans: Netflix is developing a live-actions series of the iconic anime show.
Variety announced the project would be similar to the 2019 film Detective Pikachu, which starred Ryan Reynolds and Justice Smith.
The project is still in its early stages of development, so there’s no detail about the plot just yet. But, sources say that Joe Henderson, co-showrunner and executive producer of Lucifer, is set to write and executive produce the series.
This won’t be the first Pokemon series Netflix develops. Pokemon: Indigo League and Pokemon Journeys are just a few shows Netflix has created from the Poke-verse. Netflix has also made a strong push to anime shows in recent years, with anime series like Far Cry and Splinter Cell premiering on the streaming channel.
The Pokemon franchise has taken over the world since it launched in 1995. It began as a video game and has since expanded into multiple television shows, films, trading cards, books, comics and more. It’s become a media empire all on its own, able to reach audiences all around the world and dominate a wide variety of mediums.
It’s recent expansion into the live-action world will continue to grow the anime’s power. The 2019 film was, somehow, surprisingly good. You can read our review of Detective Pikachu, which turned out to be a “wild, zany, rambunctious, easy to cheer for …and total nonsense” film. And if the series is anything like the movie, then we’re pretty excited to see what Netflix comes up with.
