Pokémon Detective Pikachu proved to be a solid hit in 2019 and in some circles, has been dubbed one of the best video game movies ever made. So it's surprising that we're still waiting on news of a sequel. Outside of a potential director being attached in early 2023 and lead actor Justice Smith being frustrated by a lack of news, we've heard very little about one. Now, fans may have reason to be optimistic after an apparent leak from Game Freak, which contained a lot of sensitive information about the franchise's reported plans.
Information from Pokémon's development company, Game Freak, hit the web just recently. The loose information that's been divulged reportedly contained everything from company secrets about the franchise's hidden lore to future product and project plans. There's also some news regarding Detective Pikachu 2, which we'll dive into now.
What The Game Freak Leak Mentioned About A Detective Pikachu Sequel
While CinemaBlend did not access the leak directly, @CentroLeaks shared on X that a sequel to Detective Pikachu titled The Great Detective Pikachu is mentioned in the files. It's alleged that the movie has been quietly in development since 2021 and that Jordon Vogt-Roberts -- who helmed the well-reviewed Kong: Skull Island is attached to direct it. Be warned, readers, the entire plot of the sequel is said to be in the leak, so don't seek out too much about it if you don't want to know specifics.
Is The Detective Pikachu Sequel Still Happening?
Though the leak is out there, some might wonder whether The Great Detective Pikachu is still happening. The movie is listed as having been in the works since 2021 but, as mentioned earlier, a director was allegedly attached to the sequel in 2023. Portlandia's Jonathan Kriesel is not Jordon Vogt-Roberts and vice versa.
It's worth noting that many elements could be happening here. It's possible that Game Freak was and is still quietly developing a sequel to Detective Pikachu and confirming it now would only drive people to look up spoilers and reveal the entire movie before anything is even shot. I'd assume everyone involved in the theoretical production would sooner wait for this news to blow over rather than confirm it.
Another possibility is that the movie is trapped in what's commonly known as "development hell." For example, look at the series of false starts the Star Trek franchise has had trying to get a fourth movie made set in the Kelvin universe. This is to say The Great Detective Pikachu might've been a project in development at one point, but various logistics have changed, causing it to be stalled.
The final and bummer possibility is that this project is dead and that what's surfaced now is what could've been the sequel to Detective Pikachu. If this were the case, it's possible Game Freak and others have already moved on from the project, and there may no longer be plans for a sequel. Or there could be a totally separate production in the works.
Even in that final scenario, there seems to be enough information for fans to be hopeful that there are currently attempts being made to produce a Detective Pikachu sequel. I would argue the market for video game movies and TV shows has only risen since the first movie was released, and Pokémon's general popularity remains intact as well. Given all that, I would say the odds of a sequel happening are still high, even if it doesn't happen precisely as this leak suggests.
While you await official word on what's happening with a potential sequel, stream Detective Pikachu with a Prime Video subscription. As a fan of the franchise who loved the movie, I'm continuing to cross my fingers for a sequel to reach the big screen at some point.
