A live-action Pokémon series is in development at Netflix, according to a report by Variety.
Still in its “early days” according to the report, Lucifer co-showrunner and executive producer Joe Henderson is attached to write and executive produce the project. Henderson has also worked on shows such as 11.22.63 on Hulu and Graceland and White Collar on USA Network.
Variety reported that its sources say the project will be a live-action series much like the film Detective Pikachu, which was released in 2019. Justice Smith and Ryan Reynolds starred alongside CGI Pokémon in the well-received movie, blending live-action actors and animated pocket monsters.
Netflix has multiple Pokémon shows available for streaming, such as Pokémon: Indigo League and Pokémon Journeys, along with other gaming-related content like animes for Castlevania and the upcoming The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf.
Pokémon first launched in 1995 and has been a worldwide phenomenon ever since. The franchise has seen multiple TV show iterations, movies, and countless video games and spin-offs, most recently the MOBA Pokémon UNITE.
An original Pokémon show for Netflix is certainly an exciting aspect, especially when the live-action angle is taken into consideration.
