Everyone wants to know what's happening with the cast of Detective Pikachu 2. Honestly, the road to this sequel has been weirder than a Mr. Mime trying to explain a crime scene through pantomime. It’s been years since the first film turned a weird 3DS spin-off into a $430 million global hit, and for a long time, the trail went cold. Fans started thinking the project was stuck in development hell, or worse, fainted like a Pokémon with zero HP.
But things are finally moving.
The reality of the cast of Detective Pikachu 2 is a mix of confirmed heavy hitters and some major "wait and see" moments. We know Legendary Pictures is still steering the ship, and they’ve brought on Jonathan Krisel—the guy behind Portlandia—to direct. That choice alone tells you the tone is going to be quirky. Chris Galletta is handling the script. But movies like this live or die on the humans and the yellow electric rodents they interact with.
The Ryan Reynolds Factor: Is He Back?
It’s the biggest question. Can you even have a sequel without the voice that made the first one work? While nothing is "signed in blood" publicly in terms of a finished trailer, all signs point to Ryan Reynolds returning. Legendary hasn't officially announced a full roster, but industry insiders like Deadline have consistently reported that Reynolds is expected to be part of the project.
It makes sense. Ryan Reynolds basically is the franchise's identity. Without his snarky, caffeine-addicted delivery, it’s just a movie about a kid and a squirrel.
The lore makes it tricky, though. Remember the end of the first movie?
Major spoiler alert for a six-year-old movie: Harry Goodman (Justice Smith’s dad) was actually fused with Pikachu. At the end, Mewtwo separates them. We see Ryan Reynolds in the flesh as the human Harry. So, does the sequel follow the Pokémon, or does it follow Harry? Or does the freak accident happen all over again? Most fans are betting on a scenario where the "Detective Pikachu" persona returns, perhaps through another mystery that requires Harry and his Pokémon partner to work in tandem once more.
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Justice Smith and Kathryn Newton: The Human Core
What about Tim Goodman and Lucy Stevens? Justice Smith has been pretty vocal about his desire to return, though he spent a few years being just as confused as the rest of us. In various interviews during his Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves press tour, Smith mentioned he hadn't heard much for a while, but he remained hopeful.
Then there’s Kathryn Newton. She played the intrepid reporter Lucy Stevens, accompanied by her perpetually stressed Psyduck. Newton’s star has risen significantly since 2019, thanks to her roles in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Abigail.
Having her back is a no-brainer.
The chemistry between Tim and Lucy provided the emotional stakes that grounded the CGI chaos. If the cast of Detective Pikachu 2 doesn't include the Psyduck-and-Lucy dynamic, fans will probably riot. Or at least tweet very angrily.
New Blood and the Jonathan Krisel Influence
When a new director takes over, they usually want to bring in their own "people." Jonathan Krisel has a very specific, dry, absurdist comedic style. This suggests we might see some comedic character actors joining the cast of Detective Pikachu 2 to fill out the citizens of Ryme City.
Think about the world-building. Ryme City is a place where humans and Pokémon live as equals. No Pokéballs. No battles in stadiums. That opens the door for a lot of interesting guest spots.
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- The Grumpy Detective: We might see a replacement for Bill Nighy’s character or a new precinct captain.
- The Corporate Villain: Every Pokémon movie needs a suit with a bad plan.
- The Pokémon Specialist: Someone who actually understands what the Pokémon are saying without a translation hat.
Why the Delay Happened
The gap between the first movie and the sequel's development wasn't just about finding the right actors. It was about rights and creative direction. The Pokémon Company is notoriously protective of their brand. Every single frame of a Pokémon movie has to be approved by a committee in Japan.
Finding a story that fits the "Detective" vibe while also satisfying the "Gotta Catch 'Em All" corporate mandate is a tightrope walk.
Also, the first movie's director, Rob Letterman, moved on to other projects. When a sequel loses its original director, things slow down. It’s a reboot of the creative process. Now that Krisel is at the helm, the momentum is real. Production schedules for big-budget VFX films are nightmares, often taking two years from the start of filming to the actual release date.
What to Expect from the New Story
If the cast of Detective Pikachu 2 is going to succeed, the plot needs to move beyond the "Where is my dad?" trope. Ryme City is huge. There are thousands of stories to tell there.
We might see a plot involving:
- Legendary Pokémon: The first one had Mewtwo. Could we see Lugia or Rayquaza integrated into a city-wide mystery?
- Regional Variants: Since 2019, the Pokémon games have introduced Paldean and Hisuian forms. Seeing a regional variant in Ryme City would be a great "Easter egg" for hardcore fans.
- The Evolution of Tim and Pikachu: Are they a formal P.I. firm now? Does Tim have his own Pokémon partner, or is he still just "Pikachu’s guy"?
Real-World Timeline and Expectations
Look, let’s be real.
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The film industry is currently recovering from a series of strikes and shifts in how streaming vs. theatrical releases work. As of early 2026, we are looking at a production window that likely aims for a late 2026 or summer 2027 release. This means the official "Cast List" will start leaking in earnest over the next few months.
When you're looking for news on the cast of Detective Pikachu 2, keep an eye on Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Deadline. Those are the only places that get the "real" info from agents and studios. Everything else is usually just fan theories or "leak" accounts on X (formerly Twitter) looking for engagement.
Summary of Knowns and Unknowns
- Director: Jonathan Krisel (Confirmed).
- Writer: Chris Galletta (Confirmed).
- Ryan Reynolds: Expected/In Talks.
- Justice Smith: Expressed interest/Likely.
- Kathryn Newton: Expected.
- Ken Watanabe: Unknown (His character, Detective Yoshida, was a highlight, but his return depends on the script's setting).
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you're tracking this movie, don't just wait for the trailer.
Start by revisiting the Detective Pikachu Returns game on the Nintendo Switch. While the movies don't follow the games 1:1, they often pull environmental clues and minor characters from the source material. It gives you a much better sense of what Ryme City looks like when it's under threat.
Keep your alerts set for "Legendary Pictures" production news. Usually, a "casting call" for extras in cities like London or Atlanta (where these big VFX movies often film) is the first concrete sign that the cameras are actually rolling. That’s when the cast of Detective Pikachu 2 will finally be set in stone.
Lastly, watch the original movie again with a focus on the background characters. The sequel is almost certainly going to double down on the "living world" aspect, and spotting those early world-building details will make the new cast members' roles make much more sense when they're finally revealed.