Legendary Entertainment scored an unexpected win in 2019 with Detective Pikachu, the first live-action adaptation of Nintendo’s long-running Pokémon franchise. In addition to earning surprisingly decent reviews, it was also a box office hit with over $433 million worldwide. Now, the inevitable sequel has found its director. Deadline is reporting that Jonathan Krisel has signed on to helm the as-yet-untitled follow-up to Detective Pikachu.
The original movie starred Justice Smith as Tim Goodman, an ex-Pokémon trainer who teams up with a talking Pikachu (voiced by Ryan Reyolds) that only he can understand as they investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding the apparent death of Tim’s father. Legendary’s upcoming sequel hasn’t made any casting announcements yet. But Deadline’s sources indicate Reynolds will have “some part to play” in the new film, hinting that the next installment might focus on a completely different aspect of the Pokémon universe.
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Krisel is best known for co-creating IFC’s Portlandia with series stars Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein. He also co-created FX’s Baskets, Comedy Central’s Kroll Show, and Showtime’s Moonbase 8, writing and directing several episodes of each. In 2018, he was hired to make his feature directorial debut on a Sesame Street film. However, it’s not clear if that project is still moving forward.
On Detective Pikachu 2, Krisel replaces Rob Letterman, who directed and co-wrote the last installment. Legendary previously hired Oren Uziel (22 Jump Street) to write the screenplay for the sequel before the first movie even hit theaters. Regardless, Deadline confirms that Chris Galetta (The Kings of Summer) is penning an all-new draft of the script. The new film will also most likely be distributed by Sony as part of Legendary’s new deal with the studio after cutting ties with Warner Bros. last year.
Do you think Krisel is a good choice to helm a Detective Pikachu sequel? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Pokémon Visual Companion: Fourth Edition
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