LOS ANGELES, March 14, 2019 – In anticipation of this summer’s big-screen adventure POKÉMON Detective Pikachu, the first-ever live-action Pokémon movie with a cast led by Ryan Reynolds opening May 10, Legendary Comics announced at Emerald City Comic Con today the official movie graphic novel POKÉMON Detective Pikachu. Written by Brian Buccellato, with art by Nelson Dániel, it is set to debut online and in stores in 2020, following the film’s release. The graphic novel draws inspiration from the upcoming film that is based on the beloved Pokémon brand—one of the world’s most popular, multi-generation entertainment properties and one of the most successful media franchises of all time. Readers are invited to follow along as lead character Tim Goodman, played in the movie by Justice Smith, journeys through Ryme City searching for his missing father. With twists and turns around every corner, nothing is more twist-y than Tim’s unexpected partner: a Pikachu with a penchant for coffee and danger, and the amazing ability to speak human language. In a city where humans and Pokémon live together in harmony, unexpected dangers surround them as they try to solve a mystery. Follow Facebook.com/LegendaryComics for the latest news and updates.
“We are thrilled for the opportunity to work with The Pokémon Company International,” said Robert Napton, Senior Vice President of Legendary Comics. “Pokémon is a globally-adored brand, and we absolutely loved expanding the story of POKÉMON Detective Pikachu onto the page with the help of Brian’s words and Nelson’s art.”
“Legendary Comics has done an outstanding job of bringing the world of POKÉMON Detective Pikachu to life in the form of this graphic novel,” said Heather Dalgleish, Director of Publishing at The Pokémon Company International. “We’re excited to be working with the Legendary Comics team on this initiative and can’t wait for readers to dive in to this Pokémon story.” From Legendary Entertainment and Warner Bros. Pictures, POKÉMON Detective Pikachu will be released in theaters nationwide on May 10, 2019.
About the creators:
Brian Buccellato is a New York Times best-selling writer best-known for his work on Flash and Injustice for DC Comics. Brian started in comics as a colorist for the Marvel/DC crossover Punisher/Batman and went on to color for all the major publishers, including work on The Uncanny X-Men, Superman and The Flash. He began writing as part of The Story Company, where he collaborated on a number of screenplays. Buccellato started his comic writing career at Top Cow with The Darkness before teaming with Francis Manapul to co-write The Flash and Detective Comics at DC. He is the creator of Foster, Sons of the Devil and co-creator of Cannibal for Image Comics. His most recent work includes Lowlifes from IDW and Lost in Space: Countdown to Danger for Legendary. He currently lives in West Hollywood with a very small cat and dog.
Nelson Dániel has worked for over 15 years in films and commercials as an art director, production designer, storyboard and concepts artist for films like Aftershock and Eli Roth’s Green Inferno, Robert Rodriguez’s Machete, among others. Nelson lives in Chile, where he has published the graphic novel, Lucca. His latest graphic novels, 1899 and 1959 will be published in Europe this year. He also did all art and colors on The Cape: 1969, monthly series Judge Dredd, Dungeons and Dragons, Clue, and the Stephen King/Joe Hill collaboration, Road Rage, in addition to the single issues of Ghostbusters, GI Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and more. He has also worked as colorist for Marvel and IDW on series such as The Cape, Wild Blue Yonder and the 2015 Eisner Award-winning best limited series, Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland, where he was also nominated for best colorist.
About Legendary Comics:
Legendary Comics was born out of a passion for mythic entertainment, seeking out new talent and working with the best and the brightest in the industry to create transportive worlds, inspirational characters, and spectacular adventures that leap off the page. Founded in 2011, Legendary Comics has produced an exciting catalogue of original titles that continues to grow and evolve. From partnerships with industry legend Frank Miller to Grant Morrison’s Eisner-nominated Annihilator, Legendary Comics has a passion for innovative new stories, including Marc Guggenheim’s The Adventures of Jonas Quantum, the fantasy action series A Town Called Dragon, and Jessica Chobot and Erika Lewis’ hit webseries, Firebrand: The Initiation of Natali Pressano. In addition to original titles, Legendary Comics also expands the scope of the cinematic universes of its parent company Legendary Entertainment, by bringing big-screen adventure exploding onto the comic book page. Working with the visionary filmmakers and the architects of Legendary’s Monsterverse, they have delivered the level of quality and authenticity our fans demand with New York Times best-sellers such as Godzilla: Awakening and Pacific Rim: Tales From Year Zero, and Skull Island: The Birth of Kong, to name a few. http://www.legendary.com/comics
About Pokémon:
The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing and marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world. For more information, visit www.pokemon.com.
About the Movie:
POKÉMON Detective Pikachu stars Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu, the iconic face of the global Pokémon phenomenon—one of the world’s most popular, multi-generation entertainment properties and the most successful media franchise of all time. When ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, his son Tim wants to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry’s former Pokémon partner, Detective Pikachu: a hilariously wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth who is a puzzlement even to himself. Finding that they are uniquely equipped to work together, as Tim is the only human who can talk with Pikachu, they join forces on a thrilling adventure to unravel the tangled mystery. Chasing clues together through the neon-lit streets of Ryme City—a sprawling, modern metropolis where humans and Pokémon live side by side in a hyper-realistic live-action world—they encounter a diverse cast of Pokémon characters and uncover a shocking plot that could destroy this peaceful co-existence and threaten the whole Pokémon universe.
POKÉMON Detective Pikachu also stars Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Suki Waterhouse, Omar Chaparro, Chris Geere, with Ken Watanabe and Bill Nighy. The film is directed by Rob Letterman, from a screenplay by Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit and Rob Letterman and Derek Connolly, story by Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit and Nicole Perlman, based on “The Great Detective Pikachu” video game developed by The Pokémon Company and Creatures Inc. It is produced by Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Hidenaga Katakami and Don McGowan; with executive producers Joe Caracciolo, Jr., Ali Mendes, Tsunekazu Ishihara, Kenji Okubo, Toshio Miyahara, Hiro Matsuoka, Keiji Ota. Music is by Henry Jackman. Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures present a Legendary Pictures Production in association with Toho Co., Ltd, a Rob Letterman Film. It will be distributed outside of Japan and China by Warner Bros. Pictures, in Japan by Toho Co., Ltd. and by Legendary East in China.
Media Contact:
Brie Dorsey
Legendary Entertainment
323.940.2105
[email protected]
Sarah Jarvis
Legendary Entertainment
323.940.2254
[email protected]