Live-action film Detective Pikachu, produced by Legendary Entertainment, has changed hands from Universal to Warner Bros., while keeping its original May 2019 release date . The film is based on the Pokemon video game franchise, and it stars Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool 2), Justice Smith (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), and Kathryn Newton (Big Little Lies). The movie is directed by Rob Letterman. 

As reported by Variety, Warner Bros. will now distribute Detective Pikachu everywhere outside of Japan and China. Toho, of Godzilla fame, will distribute in Japan, as it has done previously in a continuing partnership with Legendary Entertainment. 

The film is inspired by Detective Pikachu, a popular spin-off in the Pokemon video game series. The game launched in the west on Nintendo 3DS earlier this year. Legendary bought the movie rights in 2016 immediately after the release of Pokemon Go, an extremely popular mobile game that became a worldwide phenomenon, resulting in a 25% increase in the stock of part-owner Nintendo. 

Principal production began on January 25, 2018 in England. The script is written by Nicole Perlman and Rob Letterman, and the movie hits theaters on May 10, 2019.