Detective Pikachu star Justice Smith has provided a disappointing update on the progress of the Detective Pikachu sequel, stating that he has not yet received a phone call from the studio. A sequel was greenlit long before the film’s theatrical release back in 2019.
Since the sequel announcement, other details and follow-ups about the film’s development remain up in the air, to the point that even the film’s stars are still unsure about the development timeline.
In an interview with ScreenRant, Smith — who played Tim Goodman in the 2019 fantasy comedy — stated that his phone has remained silent at this point. When asked about the sequel’s movement, the actor said: “I have not heard of any movement. I mean, I know what was released online, but no one has called me. So I’m just waiting for that call.”
While the sequel’s development is still unclear, Smith has always been onboard for Detective Pikachu’s return. Back in 2020, the All the Bright Places actor spoke with ComingSoon about his hopes for the second Detective Pikachu movie. His 2020 update is similar to his update this year, which only lowers the likelihood of Detective Pikachu 2 ever being released.
“I wish somebody would tell me something. I have no idea, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed,” Smith said.
What is Detective Pikachu about?
An adaptation of the Detective Pikachu video game, the film followed Pokémon trainer Tim Goodman, who — with Pikachu’s help — tried to uncover the mystery behind his father’s disappearance.
“In a world where humans and Pokémon coexist, an electrifying supersleuth teams with his missing partner’s son to crack the case of his disappearance,” the logline for Detective Pikachu reads.
In addition to Smith, Detective Pikachu also starred Kathryn Newton as Lucy Stevens, Suki Waterhouse as Ms. Norman, Omar Chaparro as Sebastian, Chris Geere as Roger Clifford, Bill Nighy as Howard Clifford, and Rita Ora as Dr. Ann Laurent, among others. Ryan Reynolds served as Pikachu’s voice and facial motion capture.
