The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds is set to portray the iconic Pokemon Pikachu in Legendary Pictures’ Detective Pikachu, in what is said to be a performance capture role.
Reynolds – who was rumoured to be on the shortlist for the role back in October alongside Hugh Jackman, Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson – will star alongside the previously announced Justice Smith (The Get Down) and Kathryn Newton (Big Little Lies).
The film is being directed by Rob Letterman (Goosebumps) and sees Smith’s character teaming up with Pikachu when his father is kidnapped. Newton will play a sassy journalist who helps them on the case.
Detective Pikachu is the first live-action feature from the hugely successful Pokemon franchise and has been scripted by Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Alex Hirsch (Gravity Falls). It is set to begin production in London in January.
Reynolds meanwhile will next be seen reprising the role of the Merc with a Mouth for 20th Century Fox’s hotly-anticipated superhero sequel Deadpool 2.
