While video games are still a popular source for big screen inspiration, they rarely find widespread success. One recent exception to that rule was Detective Pikachu, which brought the world of Pokemon to life and became the highest grossing movie ever based on a video game. Such success meant it was little shock when there were reports that a sequel was in development, but it's now been two years since that report, and basically nothing has come of it. We don't really know what the state of Detective Pikachu 2 is, but if the movie ever happens, star Justice Smith is ready to come back, though he does not expect to.
Speaking recently with Inverse, Justice Smith says that he actually loves working with green screen, and reiterates previous comments that he would love to return for the sequel. However, the actor is quite blunt in saying that he doesn't believe it will happen. According to Smith...
I would love to participate in Detective Pikachu 2. I don't know if it's going to happen. I think we have to just kind of bury our hopes. I don't think it's going to happen. I really hope so though. Honestly, I'm such a huge fan, who knows, who knows? I hope so.
It's slightly unclear from the context here whether Justice Smith is saying that he doesn't believe Detective Pikachu 2 will actually happen, or simply that he doesn't expect to be involved if it does. His statement can be read either way, but regardless it's clear that Smith doesn't expect to reprise that role again.
Justice Smith played the lead role in Detective Pikachu in the character of Tim Goodman, a young man who goes looking for his father and finds only his Pokemon Pikachu, who only Tim can understand. The two work together to unravel the mystery of Tim's father's disappearance and Pikachu's amnesia.
It's certainly possible that even if a sequel to Detective Pikachu happens it could go in a number of different directions. We could see something that's more spinoff than sequel dealing with other characters. Even if we get a direct follow-up, the status quo of the first movie changed so much by the end that seeing Justice Smith's character team up with a wise cracking Pokemon again is simply unlikely, so perhaps the story will go in another direction entirely that would leave him out.
At the same time, considering that we are talking about the most successful video game movie ever, one would think that changing as little as possible in order to try to recreate that success would be what we would actually see. Whether or not there will actually be a Detective Pikachu 2 or not is a question, and who will be in it is a separate one. Hopefully, we'll have an answer to both before too long.
