Future Detective Pikachu Sequels Could Star Ash Ketchum

Following a decades-long failure to successfully adapt video games for the big screen, Hollywood has finally achieved the impossible.

More specifically, the folks responsible for Detective Pikachu deserve the lion’s share of the praise, not just for bucking the established trend, but by doing so with none other than one of the industry’s biggest franchises. As a globally recognized brand, co-writers Benji Samit and Dan Hernandez no doubt had a mountain to climb in doing Pokémon justice, not least in making its universe believable in a live-action setting, but here we are, post-release, and talk of sequels are already doing the rounds.

Clearly confident of its success, Legendary confirmed prior to Detective Pikachu‘s premiere that a sequel is already in the works, though little else is known beyond that. Given the self-contained nature of Pikachu and Tim Goodman’s story in that film, a direct follow-up is unlikely and speculation has naturally begun spreading to the wider Pokéverse for potential avenues of exploration, much of which concerns Ash Ketchum.

As star of the long-running anime show, Ash’s fanbase spans, without exaggeration, multiple generations. Such popularity all but guarantees the aspiring Pokémon Master’s appearance in a Detective Pikachu sequel, surely? Not quite, though early signs are hopeful, to say the least. As per a recent interview with ComicBook.com, Samit and Hernandez detail that, while they’re in no position to speak on behalf of The Pokémon Company, from their point of view, the “entire universe is fair game.”

Considering past comments from the pair have confirmed that Detective Pikachu is indeed set in the same universe as Ash’s, it seems there’s a very real possibility of the dream coming true. The real question now, of course, is who will Legendary get to play the most famous Trainer of all? Would his potential live-action debut necessarily have to be the same age as his Anime counterpart?

Sadly, those questions will go unanswered for a while, though feel free to let us know in the comments below what you’d like to see.