The Live Action Pokemon Movie Has Found Its Lead Actress

Actress Kathryn Newton has recently appeared in the acclaimed HBO TV series Big Little Lies, plus movies Lady Bird and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Now she gets to parlay that into some quality time with a certain electric mouse. Variety has reported that Newton is in talks to be play the female lead in Legendary’s Pokemon movie, Detective Pikachu.

Previously announced Rob Letterman is on board to direct from a script by Nicole Perlman and Alex Hirsch.

Legendary Entertainment has chosen Rob Letterman, director of Monsters vs. Aliens (2009) and Goosebumps (2015) for the feature. This pocket monster mystery adaptation is written by Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor) and Alex Hirsch (Galaxy Falls).

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Newton is in talks to star in the live-action Pokemon film as a journalist named Lucy. She goes on an adventure with the male lead character played by The Getdown actor Justice Smith, whose character has yet to be named. In the Pokemon Universe, Newton’s character is said to have a sidekick Pokemon, a Psyduck, but we still don’t know if the creature will appear in the film.

Stranger Things star Natalia Dyer, 13 Reasons Why star Katherine Langford, and Split star Haley Lu Richardson were also considered for the role.

Legendary Pictures is yet to cast Pikachu, but the studio reportedly is considered several action stars to voice the character, including Ryan Reynolds, Dwayne Johnson, Mark Wahlberg, and Hugh Jackman.

Detective Pikachu is being written by Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch and Guardians of the Galaxy co-writer Nicole Perlman.

The production for the live-action Pokemon film is expected to begin mid-January.