When it was revealed that the first live-action Pokémon movie would be Detective Pikachu, fans of the iconic franchise had some serious reservations. It was easy enough to see why, especially when this approach wasn't what the vast majority were hoping for (that probably would have been a live-action Ash Ketchum battling his way through the Pokémon League).
Detective Pikachu ultimately exceeded expectations with 67% on Rotten Tomatoes and a £433 million box office haul based on a $150 million budget.
Unfortunately, there's been no word on a sequel or any future Pokémon movies. That could change down the line, but in an interview with Inverse, star Justice Smith made it clear that he's heard nothing about returning for a follow-up... and isn't expecting to for the time being.
"I would love to participate in Detective Pikachu 2," the actor confirmed. "I don't know if it's going to happen. I think we have to just kind of bury our hopes. I don't think it's going to happen. I really hope so though. Honestly, I'm such a huge fan, who knows, who knows? I hope so."
There's still a lot of potential for these iconic creatures in a live-action setting, and we can only hope that The Pokémon Company eventually decides to capitalise on the franchise's popularity again. One suggestion online is that a future movie should pick up with an older Ash in the present day, years after he found fame as a Pokémon trainer (just imagine Chris Pratt playing a washed-up Ash).
Where would you like to see the franchise go next after Detective Pikachu?
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