Development of the live-action Pokemon movie based on Japan-only game Detective Pikachu has apparently started again with actress Kathryn Newton reportedly in talks to play a lead role.

As reported by Variety, Newton would star alongside actor Justice Smith. Newton is best known for her role in TV series Big Little Lies.

The Detective Pikachu movie will be directed by Rob Letterman and written by Nicole Perlman and Alex Hirsch. The voice of the titular Detective Pikachu has yet to be revealed.

How did he get a detective's licence?

Detective Pikachu is a Japan-only 3DS game launched in early 2016, featuring a talking Pikachu solving crimes. There has been no word of a Western release.

Talking Pikachu have caused some controversy of late, after the most recent animated Pokemon movie featured a particularly bizarre scene in which Pikachu speaks for the first time in a human language.

Back in the world of mobile gaming, Pokemon continues to be slightly less bizarre but still incredibly popular. A recent Safari Zone event for Pokemon GO generated $16 million in tourism revenue for Japan's Tottori prefecture in just three days.