A new rumor suggestsNetflixis still developing a live-actionPokémonadaptation. The same rumor offers a hint at who the protagonist could be.
Previously, the Netflix adaptation ofPokémoninto a live-action series was confirmed in a Variety exclusive.The Variety article, from July 2021, offered little more than a hint at the show.
The hint suggestedJoe Henderson wouldwrite and produce the live-action Pokémon series. Henderson previouslyworked on the popularLuciferNetflix series, among other shows.
But the Variety report offered no details about the actual show. No story details, casting details, or a timeline.
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Given how often projects are announced only to be forgotten or discarded after some hurdle or another,to have a further rumor of Netflix’s continued interestin an adaptation three years later suggests the show could materialize at some time,though hopefully not in another three years.
Rumor Suggests A Returning Character Leads Show
The new rumor comes from noted scooper Daniel ‘DanielRPK’ Richtman, whomentioned the project ina post to his Patreon account. Per Richtmanand his sources,Netflix continues to be interested in the adaptation and is actively working on the series.
Those same sourceshave further claimed the series' protagonist would not be a returning character. Not Ash Ketchum,but Red, the original trainer of the Pokémon games.
Red was the playable character in the original generation ofPokémongames. Despite being a small, unrecognizable bundle of pixels for the majority of thePokémon Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow games, Red has been a fan-favorite character of the series.
This is in part because Red was the first playable character. However,The Pokémon Company has maintained the canonically named Red as an iconic hero of the games.
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This included appearances as the final secret boss of the Second Generation games:Pokémon Gold, Silver, andCrystal. Similarly, Red served as a boss of the seventh Generation games, notably in the Battle Tower inSun, Moon, UltraSun, andUltraMoon.
And Red made it intoSuper Smash Bros.as a playable character.Red also served as the inspiration behind one of the most iconic Pokémon characters:Ash Ketchum.
Despite Red’s canonical status and use in various games,the character does not have a deep characterization.
Using Red offers Netflix a chance to connect the series to the original generationand older Pokémon fans while affording them a chance to flesh out Red’s character.
With the success ofDetective Pikachu,which grossed over $430 million on a reported budget of $150 million, Netflix appears ready to print money with a live-actionPokémonseries.
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