Ryan Reynolds Gives A Behind-The-Scenes Peek At 'Detective Pikachu'
If Detective Pikachu couldn't get more uncanny for you, Ryan Reynolds is here to remind you that you're looking at his face when you look into the eyes of that furry yellow creature. The star of the live-action/CG hybrid film posted a Detective Pikachu behind-the-scenes image that gives us a sneak peek(-achu) at the upcoming Pokemon video game adaptation.
Detective Pikachu Behind the Scenes Sneak Peek
Welcome to the weirdest Face/Off sequel ever. Reynolds posted a side-by-side comparison of his face covered in motion-capture dots alongside the final product of the furry, cuddly Pikachu. The dots are used to map Reynolds' facial expressions, indicating that a large portion of of Detective Pikachu's CGI will motion-captured — excepting, of course the body (there's only so many movements those stubby little arms can make). Ryan may have to act a few scenes with dots on his face, but at least he won't have to don a full mo-cap body suit and pretend to electrocute someone.
Seeing former anime characters brought to the big screen via mo-cap is a little strange, mostly because Pokemon are exaggerated, cartoonish characters. But ever since Andy Serkis brilliantly brought Gollum to life in Lord of the Rings, any fantastical character — from the Hulk to Thanos — is fair game.
Here is the official synopsis for Detective Pikachu:
The story begins when ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son Tim 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 communicate with one another, Tim and Pikachu 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.
Detective Pikachu opens in theaters on May 10, 2019.