6 Pokemon Movies We’d Like To See After Detective Pikachu

6 Pokemon Movies We’d Like To See After Detective Pikachu

Warning: spoilers for Pokemon: Detective Pikachu are in play. If you don’t want to be spoiled, head over to another story and come back once you’re current.

Over this past weekend, the world was more than kind to the unveiling of what represents the first step into a greater world, with the release of Pokemon: Detective Pikachu. As the world of the Pokemon craze has finally hit the big screen in live-action, the possibilities are now endless.

But in a world where any Pokemon movie could happen, which ones should? There’s already a wealth of films that could come out of this first installment, and it’s a topic worthy of discussion.

In honor of Pokemon: Detective Pikachu’s impressive opening weekend, and in tribute to all of the Pokemon fans out there who made it so big, here’s a list of the next films we’d love to see come out of this burgeoning cinematic universe.

Detective Pikachu 2

The first suggestion is an obvious one, as Pokemon: Detective Pikachu could always use a direct sequel, and one is already in the works. With Justice Smith’s Tim Goodman now staying in Ryme City with his father, and his intent to try and become a detective, there’s definitely room for at least one more adventure with the Goodman family.

While it’d obviously have to be different than the first film, as Harry’s Pikachu wouldn’t have his consciousness in it this time, the wisecracks between father and son would basically serve the purpose that “Detective Pikachu” did in this first film. Also, the bonus is that we’d get to discover the personality of the actual Pikachu that Harry’s partnered up with, which is bound to be cute and informative.

Pokemon Snap

One of the most fondly remembered games in the Pokemon canon, Pokemon Snap has a pretty simple story to it. A young man by the name of Todd Snap is hired to take pictures of various Pokemon, in a region that doesn’t see a lot of human action. This allows anyone who wants to visit it access to some hard data about various species and their lives in the wild.

If that’s not a fantastic idea for a Pokemon film, then good luck finding another one. Pokemon Snap could be an adventure on the same level as Jurassic Park, with a small group of photographers joining Todd along for the ride. We’ve seen the miracle of Pokemon living with humans already, so seeing them undisturbed in the wild, along with any exciting consequences that come from when they are disturbed, seems like it’d be a lot of fun.

Team Rocket’s Origin Story

Confession time: when the mysterious substance “R” was revealed in Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, it felt like there was a setup in the works that would eventually reveal Team Rocket as a part of the cinematic universe. While that never panned out, it wouldn’t be a terrible idea to help expand that corner of the universe.

We already know that the events of Pokemon: The First Movie are canon, thanks to Mewtwo’s backstory folding it into Pokemon: Detective Pikachu. So going back to where it all began, and bringing that story into a live-action context, would be another great step to building the Pokemon stable of films.

A Pokemon: The First Movie Live-Action Remake

Another good thing about folding Pokemon: The First Movie into the canon that exists in the live-action film universe of Pokemon is the fact that, if the studio really wanted to, they could remake that classic original film. And remaking it into a live-action version would serve more of a purpose than just reviving nostalgia.

For starters, the story of Pokemon: The First Movie could be enhanced and retrofitted to slot in with Pokemon: Detective Pikachu’s story a lot better. Also, bringing back the adventures of Ash Ketcham and his dear friends in a new remake would set up an entire series of his adventures being brought to film, filling in the years in-between. Of course, there’s another reason that bringing Pokemon: The First Movie into the recent canon would work perfectly, and it’s to set up another new opportunity to tell a Pokemon-centric story.

A Brand New Mewtwo Stand-Alone Story

With Mewtwo wondering around the wilderness of the Pokemon universe for almost two decades, there’s a lot of story that could be told in that very window of opportunity. Much like Planet of the Apes’ Caesar, Mewtwo has a hell of a story to be told when dealing with his checkered past involving humanity.

And much like Pokemon Snap, this Mewtwo stand-alone adventure could take the action to a far off location in the more wooded areas past Ryme City, allowing for more open and wild adventures to take place. Throw in the fact that we might even get to see what Mew has been up to in the time that Mewtwo has been running wild, and that’s just more story for the taking in a Mewtwo movie.

Super Smash Bros: The Movie

Perhaps the greatest potential for a Pokemon follow-up movie is one that would take some heavy lifting, and years of preparation. With a roster of characters from games far and wide, Super Smash Bros is something that would excite fans of not only Pokemon, but also the greater video game universe. But even if you're not a dyed in the wool fan of this particular fighting series, being a fan of at least one of the properties represented will give you a way into the story of this particular film.

The game's simple story of combatants from all over being drawn together to fight for victory under a specific set of circumstances is basically The Avengers of video games, and taking that to the big screen would be a feat that would be so daunting, and yet so rewarding. If the creative team behind a Super Smash Bros movie nailed that concept on film, the payoff would be so great that there might be hope for other video game movies to get it right themselves. Also, Pikachu and Mewtwo are just two of the Pokemon available in that game, so the ties to the franchise run deeper than most would expect.

Six movies, each of them amazing examples of how Pokemon has set itself up to tell a story so great, it could chance the face of video game movies forever. In Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, Warner Bros and the creative team they've enlisted have proven that they truly understand the world of the franchise and what it needed to become a live-action crossover hit. Now it's time to push the envelope again, and choose to go places that this series, and video game films in general, haven't gone yet, if not for the studio's sake, then for the fans who are already enamored with Pokemon: Detective Pikachu.

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu is in theaters now, waiting for Pokemon fans to understand the power that’s inside this new cinematic universe. But before we leave, we have a question: which of these potential Pokemon films do you want to see the most?

Use the poll below to tell us which of these prospects is your particular favorite, and don’t forget to explain your answer in the comments below!

Jumanji 3 Evolves Karen Gillan's Character In A Kickass Way, Jack Black Teases

Jumanji 3 Evolves Karen Gillan's Character In A Kickass Way, Jack Black Teases

Jumanji 3, or the direct sequel to Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle -- whatever you prefer to call it -- is now filming for its December 2019 release. The 2017 stars are back for the new as-yet-untitled movie. During a break from filming, and still in their characters' avatar outfits, Jack Black (Professor Sheldon Oberon) had co-star Karen Gillan (Ruby Roundhouse) on his Jablinski Games YouTube channel. Gillan played Crash Bandicoot while Black failed to get her to spill Avengers: Endgame spoilers. After she mentioned the game she was playing felt a little like Jumanji, Black offered some praise for Gillan's role in the new movie:

Also, I should say that Karen is kicking ass in the new Jumanji. Your character has evolved and now you've got more stuff and rad stuff to do this time. I can't say what, because that would be spoiler alerts.

Karen Gillan was flattered by the praise, and did some Britney Spears singing -- which you should watch in the video -- but she wasn't so flattered that she was willing to share Avengers: Endgame spoilers on what Nebula does next.

It's good to hear Karen Gillan's game avatar Ruby Roundhouse will have more to do in Jumanji 3. How does she evolve? Is there like a game upgrade that gives her more powers? Does she take over as leader of the group? It doesn't look like she gets a new outfit. Both Gillan and Jack Black were in the clothes we're used to seeing from their first movie. Kevin Hart also showed off a look from set showing his usual attire:

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has also been keeping fans updated on the Jumanji shoot, sharing set photos from the end of a week's filming:

We don't know the plot of Jumanji 3 at this point, but it's bringing back most of the cast from Welcome to the Jungle. That includes Nick Jonas, plus the actors who played the high school kids. This sequel has also added Awkwafina, Danny DeVito, Danny Glover, and Dania Ramirez (so far) in mystery roles.

This is considered the third Jumanji movie because it continues the thread started with the Robin Williams Jumanji movie in 1995. His character was referenced in Welcome to the Jungle. The third movie is meant to be more tied to the second movie than the original, but they are all part of the same universe.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle took on Star Wars: The Last Jedi in 2017 and made some major money in the process. So Jumanji 3 appears to be trying for the same trick -- it's currently scheduled to open December 19, just a few days before Star Wars: Episode IX. Here's what else is headed to theaters in busy 2019.

Sean Gunn Explains Why Brother James Wasn’t At The Avengers: Endgame Premiere

Sean Gunn Explains Why Brother James Wasn’t At The Avengers: Endgame Premiere

Last night was the premiere of Avengers: Endgame. It was an event over 10 years in the making and nearly everybody who has ever been a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was in attendance to see how the story came to an end. However, one person who was conspicuous by his absence was James Gunn. The Guardians of the Galaxy director did not attend the gala event last night, but according to his brother, Sean Gunn, explained that he was there in spirit.

To be fair, James Gunn certainly does have a lot of work on his plate right now. He has not one, but two blockbuster comic book team up movies to write and direct in the coming months. One of those, the sequel to Suicide Squad, is set to go before cameras before too long, so it's very possible that Gunn just couldn't pull himself away. If that script isn't ready, then there is work that needs to be done.

At the same time, for many, James Gunn is a man as directly linked to the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise as any filmmaker is to any part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sean Gunn isn't just talking when he tells THR that James Gunn's thoughts are at the premiere, that has to be true. The director called the script to Guardians 3 "his heart" when he finished it.

James Gunn has certainly had one of the more interesting career paths of the last 10 months. The writer was fired from his position as director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 last July, following the unearthing of some less than flattering statements but was then rehired sometime later, though that fact only came to light recently. In the interim, Gunn had made the deal to write The Suicide Squad, and he will direct that movie before moving on to do Guardians 3 after all.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, James Gunn has kept something of a low profile ever since the events that led to his firing. Gunn used to be incredibly prolific on Twitter, but he left the service after issuing yet another apology for the tweets that got him in trouble. Since then, he's only tweeted three times. Once to thank the people who supported him after the news of his return to Marvel had been announced, and twice to help promote the upcoming film Brightburn which he helped produce.

Whether Gunn is still simply trying to stay out of the limelight, or he's truly buried in work, or some combination of the two, is hard to know, but it likely won't last too much longer. Once The Suicide Squad goes into production it will be hard to keep a low profile. The promotional machine, including social media, will be in full swing and DC likely won't want Gunn to stay quiet at that point.

If anything, it's too bad James Gunn wasn't at the premiere because by all accounts the movie is something special.

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Made Sure Ghidorah Didn't Look Like Other Dragons

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Made Sure Ghidorah Didn't Look Like Other Dragons

Dragons are a huge part of pop culture right now thanks to Game of Thrones, which set a new bar for what dragons (or wyverns) can look like onscreen. Because of that, any property looking to use dragons will have to distinguish them from what else is out there. Although Godzilla: King of the Monsters doesn’t feature a dragon in the traditional sense either, Ghidorah is dragon-like and therefore couldn’t be like other dragons, as the film’s production designer Scott Chambliss explained:

Ghidorah is from another planet and he’s basically the heavy in the film. One of the challenges was, we’re inundated with dragons in our culture right now. So, Ghidorah risks being the most ho-hum of [the monsters in the film]. What Michael did was, he played on the very human characteristics. He played on characteristics that we associate with human beings but he applied them to the monsters. Ghidorah, with his three heads, was an opportunity to have three different aspects of a generally similar creature.

Dragons are always awesome and it’s hard to imagine them ever becoming passé, but Scott Chambliss’ point stands. He and director Michael Dougherty didn’t want Ghidorah to be just another dragon; instead, they wanted him to be memorable and stand on his own as a creature that thrills audiences and feels like something different on the big screen.

That was obviously very important because Ghidorah isn’t just another creature among the sea of titans in the film, he’s the big bad, the King whose crown and title Godzilla must claim if the planet and humanity are to survive. So basically, he has to be cool and badass and unlike the dragons people are used to seeing.

To achieve that, Michael Dougherty gave Ghidorah human characteristics, as Scott Chambliss told Entertainment Weekly. Ghidorah and the rest of the titans aren’t just mindless killing machines. The titans all have their own motivations and unique personalities. We’ve seen dragons have personalities before; Drogon was not thrilled to see his mom hooking up with some stranger.

The difference with Ghidorah is that, to steal a line from the Game of Thrones source material, the dragon has three heads. Ghidorah isn’t a robot and his heads aren’t all acting in unison in Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Despite sharing a body they each have different personalities unique to them, just as humans and animals do. So that will allow us to see different sides of Ghidorah and make him a more fully realized character, even if he doesn’t talk.

The film even used three different actors to portray Ghidorah's three heads via motion capture, giving each a unique performance. How all that will manifest itself for Ghidorah in and out of battle in the film we’ll have to wait and see, but it is something we’ve seen with multi-headed dragons before, like with Zak and Wheezie in Dragon Tales and Devon and Cornwall in Quest for Camelot.

The human personalities aren’t the only distinguishing factor for Ghidorah though. Although the Targaryen sigil may be a three-headed dragon, we aren’t used to seeing an actual three-headed dragon-like creature onscreen and in the trailers we’ve already seen how cool and effective that can be in battle.

Also, Ghidorah is not of this world and is thus seems more science fiction than fantasy. He also stands more upright than most dragons and despite being winged, scaled and with dragon-like heads, he doesn’t breathe fire and instead shoots lightning.

You can see King Ghidorah in all his glory when Godzilla: King of the Monsters arrives in theaters on May 31. Check out our 2019 release schedule to see all the biggest movies headed your way this summer.

Looks Like Netflix May Officially Buy Its Own Theater

Looks Like Netflix May Officially Buy Its Own Theater

Netflix has built itself into an entertainment juggernaut specifically by giving consumers a seemingly endless number of reasons, first on DVDs and then on streaming, not to leave their home and go to the theater. This has put the company at odds with entrenched parts of the film industry, exhibitors in particular. Now, although Netflix hasn’t beat the theaters, it looks like it could still join them as the streaming service may officially buy its own theater.

Netflix is in early talks with the non-profit American Cinematheque to buy the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. If it comes to pass, this deal, which could be worth tens of millions of dollars, would get Netflix its very first physical movie theater. The purchase is far from done and there are issues with real estate and permits that must be settled before it can be finalized, but Netflix is on its way to owning a theater, and a historic one at that.

However, despite the fact that Netflix (and Amazon) has flirted with purchasing a theater chain in the past, Deadline’s sources indicate that this should not be viewed as Netflix diving headfirst into its own operational theater business. So don’t expect every town to have a Netflix theater anytime soon.

While it may be a one-off thing for now and not the first domino to fall in a plan to conquer the theater industry, Netflix’s potential purchase of the Egyptian Theatre offers a number of positive outcomes for the streaming service, the Egypitian Theatre, American Cinematheque and the film community.

The Egyptian Theatre is a Hollywood landmark; built by Sid Grauman in the early 1920s, the theater hosted Hollywood’s first movie premiere (Robin Hood) in 1922. The Egyptian last underwent a renovation in 1998 and this deal would help preserve the historic theater and its mission to keep the big screen movie tradition alive for years to come.

American Cinematheque currently screens classic, historic, foreign, independent and rarely seen films, amongst other things, at both the Egyptian Theatre and the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica. Under the deal, the non-profit American Cinematheque would gain a much needed influx of cash to help it stay afloat and expand its programming.

Netflix and American Cinematheque look at this potential purchase as a partnership that would establish a mutually beneficial relationship. Netflix would screen its films on weekday nights, as well as have special screenings and events for its bigger titles. Also, this purchase would not impact Netflix’s existing relationships with chains like IPIC or Landmark Theatres that play the service’s films. American Cinematheque would retain the freedom to play what it wants, while getting the financial support to continue running screenings, lectures and festivals on weekends.

You can see how purchasing the Egyptian Theatre would be something of an olive branch, meant to ingratiate the disruptive streaming service to cinephiles and those in the industry that have a negative view of Netflix. Netflix, the company that made it so you could watch movies on a 4” phone screen, would be preserving a historic theater whose mission is to champion the big screen experience. This move would show that Netflix values that experience.

This news comes on the heels of an Oscar season where Netflix’s Roma made a major splash, raising the issues of whether or not streaming movies should be eligible for Academy Awards. Some in the industry, like Steven Spielberg, who are champions of the theatrical experience are against streaming movies with short theatrical windows being eligible. At the upcoming Cannes Film Festival, Netflix will be sitting out for the second year in a row in part because of the tension with exhibitors. Hopefully this will be the first step towards everyone getting along.

Netflix is out here trying to change hearts and minds. We’ll see if it works.

Check out our 2019 release schedule to keep track of all the biggest theatrical releases this year.

Netflix's Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, And Vile Trailer Is Surprisingly Murder-Free

Netflix's Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, And Vile Trailer Is Surprisingly Murder-Free

After its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, Netflix scooped up the somewhat controversial Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile, the Ted Bundy movie starring Zac Efron as the charming and despicable serial killer. We’ve been waiting to hear when the wider public would get to see this film and now, along with a release date, the streaming service has released a new trailer for the film and it's surprisingly murder-free. Take a look:

Despite this being a serial killer movie with an R rating for “disturbing/violent content,” this latest trailer for Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile eschews all such brutality, opting not to show any of Ted Bundy’s murders. Yet that lack of onscreen violence does nothing to diminish the darkness present in this trailer. If anything, it actually gives the whole thing an underlying sense of dread that is much more potent than the previous trailer.

That is perhaps the most interesting thing about this trailer, how much it contrasts with the original Voltage Pictures trailer that arrived right before the Sundance premiere and before Netflix picked up the movie. The original trailer, which actually did show brief snippets of Ted Bundy committing crimes, had more of a light feel to it, showcasing Zac Efron’s charm and attractiveness as the serial killer. It also had a rock soundtrack that fit the way the trailer was cut, but was incongruous with the nature of the crimes.

This new trailer for Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile is a different beast entirely. Instead of focusing on Zac Efron’s Ted Bundy, this trailer puts much more emphasis on the character of Liz,played by Lily Collins. The film is told from the perspective of Ted Bundy’s girlfriend who refused to see the truth about him for years and this trailer is more in line with that as we see more of her struggle with Ted and that truth.

Additionally, this trailer establishes a much more serious tone, utilizing ominous music that befits that horrors Ted Bundy committed, even if we don’t get to glimpse them here. Zac Efron’s Ted Bundy, who has been the subject of some controversy for being attractive, has his charm toned down in this trailer and his creepiness is amplified. It’s kind of fascinating how that dichotomy of presentation is reflective of the way Ted Bundy was outwardly perceived and his true nature.

I wonder if Netflix choosing to sell the film in this way is at all a response to the criticisms that have been raised about ‘hot Ted Bundy’. It also raises the question of what this film actually is, because the trailers pitch two different tones. Such is the power of editing.

When we first heard that this movie was coming to Netflix it seemed that the streaming service was planning on a small theatrical run come awards season. Whether it will receive any awards recognition remains to be seen, but Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile will be arriving much sooner than that previous assumption would indicate. The film will arrive on Netflix and in select theaters on May 3.

While not an awards season release, that does position Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile in closer proximity to Netflix’s series, Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, also from director Joe Berlinger. So Netflix can capitalize on that true crime interest as the one-stop shop for Ted Bundy in 2019, the 30th anniversary of his execution.

Will Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile wind up becoming one of the better serial killer movies based on true life crimes? Find out when it hits Netflix on May 3. For all the biggest movies heading to theaters this year, check out our 2019 Release Schedule.

New DVD Releases March 2019: All The Latest Movies And TV Shows Coming This Month

New DVD Releases March 2019: All The Latest Movies And TV Shows Coming This Month

March may not be the most notable month at the movies, but it is a month where a bunch of big releases from the year prior start being made available to families at home. I say families, but many of the releases this month are decidedly grownup, including titles like Ben Is Back, Green Book, Creed II, The Favourite and If Beale Street Could Talk.

Having said this, there is plenty for families to get excited about, as well. Probably the most notable family title this month is Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, the new animated classic that went on to win Best Animated Feature at the recent Academy Awards ceremony. Plus, older kids should relish Aquaman and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald while Mary Poppins Returns should speak to the kid in all of us.

But don’t take my word for it. You can check out the list of what will be made available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital in March of 2019, below.

Per usual, Digital releases are the same day as Blu-ray and DVD releases, unless otherwise noted in the “Early Digital Releases” column. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-verse, for example, was made available on Digital on February 26. Take a look at other February releases with our guide.

Tuesday, March 5 DVD, Blu-ray And Digital Releases

Creed II

Instant Family

The Favourite

Ben Is Back

Fear The Walking Dead: The Complete Fourth Season

Vox Lux

Free Solo

Gunpowder

Krypton: The Complete First Season

Of Fathers and Sons

The Mercy

Burning

Dead Ant

Don't Go

House of Cards: Season 6

Prospect

The Clovehitch Killer

The Standoff at Sparrow Creek

The Vanishing

Week of March 5 Early Digital Releases

Aquaman

Vox Lux

Tuesday, March 12 DVD, Blu-ray And Digital Releases

Green Book

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald

Mortal Engines

The Last Ship: The Complete Fifth Season

London Fields

Piercing

The Last Man

Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes

Tyrel

Week of March 12 Early Digital Releases

Mary Poppins Returns

Vice

If Beale Street Could Talk

They Shall Not Grow Old

Second Act

Tuesday, March 19 DVD, Blu-ray And Digital Releases

Mary Poppins Returns

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

Chesapeake Shores: Season 3

Pokemon The Movie: The Power Of Us

The Final Wish

The Quake

Week of March 19 Early Digital Releases

Bumblebee

The Mule

Triple Threat (March 22)

Tuesday, March 26 DVD, Blu-ray And Digital Releases

Aquaman

Stan & Ollie

If Beale Street Could Talk

Legion: The Complete Season Two

Second Act

Midnight, Texas: Season Two

Capernaum

Columbus

Kim Possible

King of Thieves

MFKZ

Week of March 26 Early Digital Releases

Welcome To Marwen

On The Basis of Sex

Holmes & Watson

All in all, there are some good releases coming out this month. Which will you be adding to your collection? Be sure to let us know in the comments, below.