Netflix is Developing a Live Action Pokemon TV Series!

By: Water Pokémon Master · Posted Posted onJul 26, 2021 at 10:51 AM · 13 Comments

Variety, one of Hollywood’s leading industry publications, is reporting that a new live action Pokemon series is currently in development at Netflix!

Variety’s sources say the series is still very early in development and would be akin to the Detective Pikachu movie. Joe Henderson is reportedly attached to write and executive produce the show. Henderson is currently the co-showrunner and executive producer on Netflix’s popular Lucifer series, which is preparing to air its final season.

Back in 2019, I separately asked the Japanese producer of Mewtwo Strikes Back EVOLUTION and a Legendary executive about the fate of the Pokemon cinematic universe:

Before [the screening of Mewtwo Strikes Back EVOLUTION] started, I spotted Hidenaga Katakami. Since he was also a producer of the Detective Pikachu film, I asked him if there would be more live action films. He said that The Pokemon Company was still trying to determine if they wanted to go in that direction. They want to take their time and see how audiences respond to the first film.

Separate from Anime Expo, I also spoke with a Legendary executive at a film festival a few weeks ago where one of my films was showing. He said that Legendary wasn’t yet sure if they want to make more live action Pokemon movies since Detective Pikachu didn’t make as much as they hoped. So it seems the future of the live action Pokemon franchise is still up in the air from both sides!

Justice Smith, the star of Detective Pikachu, also stated this year that he didn’t think a sequel was likely:

“I think we have to just kind of bury our hopes. I don’t think it’s going to happen.”

If anyone can get me on this show or allow me to submit a script, please e-mail me at [email protected]. It’s been my literal dream since day one and why I work in film! :p

View thread (13 replies)
Please don’t swear in this series. The worst problem with Detective Pikachu was that the character of that name swore at least twice in the movie, moving it up to PG13. Please make this show more kid-friendly!
Also hope we will see more Pokémon battles. Detective Pikachu only had four “battles”; one was largely off-screen, another was completely one-sided and ended in trainer interference, the third was merely a chase ending in a single devastating move, and the last, though interesting, was over too quickly.
If this show is based off of Pokémon the Series, my interest is going way down, but I’m sure others would be interested. I’m just not sure if I want to see Ash adapted into live action.
Anyways, WPM, hope you manage to at least get a role! Even being an extra would be amazing!
 
I would like to point out that there is a reason "development hell" exists. Just because it's "in development" doesn't mean it'll go anywhere, or anything will happen. Executives and writers tend to work on many, many things at once, and things can be shelved. Example: the "Halo" movie.

I'm not saying that this is a good or bad thing, they're just announcing that the show is being worked on. Whether or not that actually means it'll be a show may take up to a decade.
 
At this stage, it could either be a continuation of the current cartoon in live action, or it could be ash's child as hero in action... Already on Netflix as cartoon? BDSP taking the spotlight? Time for Ash to move on and hang up the hat and poke belt? If true, is there any indication that a final TR attack will end the show after an evolution of pikachu for plot reasons?

Netflix, are you actually nuking the cartoon?
 
tenkarasu said:
I would like to point out that there is a reason "development hell" exists. Just because it's "in development" doesn't mean it'll go anywhere, or anything will happen. Executives and writers tend to work on many, many things at once, and things can be shelved. Example: the "Halo" movie.

I'm not saying that this is a good or bad thing, they're just announcing that the show is being worked on. Whether or not that actually means it'll be a show may take up to a decade.
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I think the same. I also believe this would be too expensive for Netflix to develop (copyrights+technology) when they usually make cost-efficient products to be quickly consumed.
 
I appreciate a dumb woke joke as much as the next person, but this isn't the place for it. Be a little more on topic with your criticisms, please.
 
I'm thinking they could try a Space Jam / Who Framed Roger Rabbit approach to the series. Could be interesting. Maybe we'll finally get a proper lead female protagonist for the Pokémon franchise.
 
Could do without. Detective Pikachu wasn’t exactly the most rewatchable movie.

Sonic the Hedgehog, on the other hand? Yes. Definitely the better movie of the two video game rodents going Hollywood.
 
Live action kinda rules out having the series be based on Ash whom Dialga has clearly cursed.
 
Yeaaaaaaaaaaah… no.

Given how poorly-received some of Netflix’s other live-action adaptations (Death Note and Bleach being prime examples of this while the production of their live-action take on Avatar: The Last Airbender being so turbulent it caused the IP’s original creators to leave the project over creative differences) have been I’d be lying if I said I was even cautiously optimistic about this.
 
I hope they can make the Pokemon look more cartoony or something. I think they looked kind of creepy in Detective Pikachu.

Also, hire WPM!
 
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