The first live-action Pokemon movie was announced Monday with a trailer and none other than Ryan Reynolds voicing the iconic Pokemon, Pikachu.
Titled Detective Pikachu, the trailer focuses on a young man named Tim, played by Justice Smith, who once had dreams of being a Pokemon trainer but appears to have since given up hope.
Tim soon gets wrapped up in an adventure when he meets Pikachu, voiced by Reynolds. However, this Pikachu isn’t like the Pikachus of the past. He speaks English — which, the trailer explains, only Tim can understand. To the rest of the world, it’s all “pika pika,” as Pikachu has spoken up until now.
This Pikachu, complete with a detective’s hat, also has a smart attitude, similar to Reynolds’ role in Deadpool.
WATCH: Pokemon grandpa’s 15-phone rig may catch ’em all
The approach appears to appeal to an older audience, with a gritty look and more adult humour thrown into the mix, such as Pikachu saying the problem is that he pushes people away then “hates them for leaving” during an interrogation with the Pokemon Mr. Mime.
Reynolds’ Pikachu, as the hat indicates, is a fledgling detective who will help Tim find his lost father.
Reynolds commented on the surprise release on Twitter, saying, “I think we all knew I’d wind up as a miniature detective repeatedly saying the same two words. Just didn’t think it’d be this soon.”
The movie is set to release in 2019.
WATCH: A preview of the 3rd Annual Pokemon Go charity event