Calling All '90s Kids: Ryan Reynolds Is Playing Pikachu In The Pokémon Movie

In news that is as bizarre as it is wonderful, Ryan Reynolds will play Pikachu in the Pokémon movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Yes, a live-action Pokémon movie is actually happening called Detective Pikachu, and having Reynolds at the helm is one way to guarantee it's a must-see event. He'll likely bring his Deadpool humor to play the beloved electric creature and that automatically makes it even better. Granted, this means he'll likely just voice the character (unless Pikachu somehow becomes human?), but still, it's exciting news for Reynolds fans and '90s kids alike.

Though he's usually vocal on Twitter (and quite funny, too), Reynolds has yet to comment on this latest casting news. However, he's joining a fun crew of actors, including Justice Smith from The Get Down and Kathryn Newton, who played Reese Witherspoon's daughter in HBO's Big Little Lies. Newton also appeared in the recently released hit movie Lady Bird.

Based on initial reports, Newton and Smith's characters will work together to solve Pokémon related mysteries. And that seems to fall in line with THR's latest synopsis:

"The story is kicked into gear when Smith's character's father is kidnapped, forcing the teen to team up with Pikachu in order to find him. Newton is a sassy journalist who helps them on their quest."

Overall, details about the movie are being kept under-wraps, but according to THR, filming is expected to begin in January in London. Hopefully that means fans will get more info when 2018 rolls around. And if we get the movie sometime next year? That would be more exciting than getting a brand-new stack of Pokémon cards for Christmas.

But so far, reactions to the Pokémon movie have been mixed on social media. Including when it comes to Reynolds' casting news.

Some Were Perplexed

No words, just blinking.

Others Let Britney Spears Speak For Them

Via this GIF, of course.

This Person Was On Board

At least one fan was here for it.

Definitely Not This Person Though

Sure, it's an unexpected concept. But hey, who knows what it will actually turn out like.

Wow, What A Concept

If you're unsure what a live-action Pokémon movie will look like, good luck figuring out what a Reynolds as Deadpool as Pikachu movie would look like.

Reminder: Some People Are *Skeptical*

Like, really skeptical. All those ellipses seem to speak for themselves.

Some Felt Like They Traveled Through Time & Space

And honestly, that's fair, because this is probably the last news you expected to read today.

Another Found The Humor

Not sure if it's good laughing, bad laughing, or a mixture of both. Suffice to say, this person was thoroughly amused.

This Person Had Some Fighting Words

And a perfect Pikachu GIF to express their exhaustion at the situation.

You Can Acknowledge The Weirdness & Still Be Excited

Case in point: this very tweet.

And Someone Else Was Supportive

Like a Mew or some other rare Pokémon, finding support for this casting on Twitter seems to be more difficult than expected. But it's definitely out there somewhere.

And if you can't seem to get in the spirit, consider watching the below 16-minute compilation of all of the English theme songs from Season 1-20 of Pokémon. No, that's not a typo, there are indeed 20 seasons of the series.

If it's lived on in animated form for multiple decades, maybe it actually is time to give a live-action version of Pokémon a chance. And with Reynolds, as well as Newton and Smith, signed on, at least the cast sounds up to par. Who knows, maybe they'll even convert those Twitter skeptics back into fans.