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Live-Action Pokémon Series allegedly in early stages of development at Netflix

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According to a report from Joe Otterson at Variety this week, insider sources have claimed that a new live-action Pokémon series is in the early stages of development, with Joe Henderson, the executive producer and co-showrunner of Netflix's popular Lucifer series having been tapped to write and executive produce the show.

While Variety likened the project to 2019's Detective Pikachu Movie, no details on any potential plot were given in the report, and there is no suggestion at this time that the two projects are in any way linked. Netflix is currently in the middle of a big push to create television adaptations of multiple video game franchises, with The Witcher and Castlevania having both been breakout hits for the streaming platform, and series based on Splinter Cell, Far Cry, and Assassins Creed having all already entered production. Netflix's library of course already includes a number of seasons of the Pokémon anime, together with a scattering of movies.

Long suffering fans may recall the last time news surfaced of Netflix working on a live action adaptation of a Nintendo Property, when reports in the Wall Street Journal in February 2015 claimed Netflix was working on a Legend of Zelda series, which never actually materialised. Earlier this year, an interview with Adam Conover of Adam Ruins Everything gave new information, suggesting the Zelda series had been under production, but was cancelled by Nintendo (along with several other projects, including one Adam had been working on for College Humor involving Star Fox) because of the leak of information from Netflix. We can only hope that this Pokémon live action series, if it is more than insider rumours, doesn't suffer the same fate.
 
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Archaic

Archaic

Haven't seen Netflix Witcher yet, but I'm very curious. Maybe it'll have an older protagonist?
Well if it's true I hope Legendary does the Pokemon designs again.
 
1. This probably won't be about Detective Pikachu. Suffice to say that it would be a downgrade for Ryan Reynolds (although he did voice a Family Guy character in three episodes), but more importantly Warner Bros distributed the movie and they're linked to HBO Max. Also, the idea of Harry fusing with Pikachu again is forced.

2. An adaptation of the Kanto anime given the success of the Mewtwo movie remake? Kanto has some very good episodes (arguably the best in the show's history), but I honestly don't think it's attuned for the live action treatment. Also, condensing 80 episodes into 12 or so wouldn't work, not to mention that tnere's only some closure at the end of Johto (defeating Gary and parting ways with Misty).

3. It shouldn't be a badge quest, but it's obvious that Kanto Pokemon will stand out. My preference is a story about an older Silver confronting Giovanni complemented with Team Rocket's origin story.
 
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