Legendary announced today that Golden Globe-winning actor Bill Nighy and British actor Chris Geere have joined the cast of Detective Pikachu, the first live-action film based on the globally-popular Pokémon franchise. Nighy and Geere will play a father and son duo and join already-announced cast members Ryan Reynolds, Ken Watanabe, Justice Smith and Kathryn Newton.
The film is from director Rob Letterman and writers Nicole Perlman and Letterman – with Eric Pearson and Tom McCarthy having completed the production polishes. The project follows Detective Pikachu, a new character and storyline in the Pokémon universe.
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Nighy won a Golden Globe award for his role in Gideon’s Daughter in 2007 and his other past credits include Love Actually and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. Geere’s credits include playing the lead role as Jimmy Shive-Overly on FXX’s You’re The Worst and recently as Professor Arvin Fennerman on Modern Family.
Pokémon has delighted fans of all ages around the world for over two decades. With more than 300 million video games sold worldwide, 23.6 billion Pokémon TCG cards shipped to 74 countries, and an animated series spanning 20 seasons, Pokémon is one of the most successful entertainment properties in the world.
Mary Parent and Cale Boyter will produce for Legendary Entertainment, with Joe Caracciolo, Jr. and Pokémon’s Tsunekazu Ishihara executive producing and Legendary’s Alexandra Mendes co-producing.
Universal Pictures will handle distribution of Detective Pikachu outside Japan. Toho will distribute in Japan, as it has done in its partnership with Legendary on the blockbuster monster reboot for Godzilla.
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
