Ever since its home network
premiere in 1997, just over a year after the Nintendo Gameboy titles it was
based on were released, the “Pokémon” anime series has inspired children
in Japan and the rest of the world to want to be the very best, like no one
ever was. Interest in the monster-catching franchise arose for every new game, and
new anime season or film. In 2016 it got a huge boost from Niantic’s mobile
spinoff “Pokémon
GO,” and in 2019 it proved to work in live-action with Legendary Pictures’ “Pokémon:
Detective Pikachu.” So how about a live-action series, streaming on Netflix to
boot?
The Hollywood Reporter tells us that a live-action series based on
the massive “Pokémon” franchise is being considered for development at
global streaming giant Netflix. Brainstorming on the project began about a
month ago according to inside sources, with the plans being forwarded by Joe
Henderson, show-runner of DC-based urban fantasy superhero series “Lucifer,”
formerly on Fox and currently on Netflix where its sixth and final season is
soon to premiere. No further details are available beyond that work on
conceptualizing the series has already begun, and Netflix themselves have no
comment on the matter.
Several factors may have led to
the possible development of a live-action “Pokémon” series for the streaming
giant. First, the Netflix anime library already contains several seasons of the
long-running anime. Next, as Henderson had originally come over to Netflix from
Fox with the “Lucifer” series, the streaming platform might hope to keep him on
as a show-runner for new original content, more so if it ties up a major IP
like “Pokémon”
and its rights owners to work with Netflix. They have recently announced
development of other live-action adaptations of videogames – mostly mature
titles – and a live-action “Pokémon” show might just balance the
demographics.
In fact, Joe Henderson already
has a Netflix project lined up since March this year, another adaptation of a
comic-book titled “Shadecraft,” which he himself wrote alongside Lee Garbet
providing the artwork. Even as “Lucifer” completes its series run once its
final season premieres on Netflix this coming September, a working creative partnership
between him and the major streaming giant would have already been formed.
The first live-action foray of “Pokémon,”
2019’s “Detective Pikachu” movie, managed to pull a box office coup of $430
million against a $150 million budget, proving that mixing live-action actors
with CGI Pokémon
can work to the audience’s approval. Such effects may be a degree more complex
perhaps that what “Lucifer” has, but one never knows. A series premiering on
Netflix might just soften the blow should the planned “Detective Pikachu”
sequel fails to materialize.
Image: TVLine
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