Warner Bros has dropped the first trailer for the Detective Pikachu film starring Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds as the voice of the titular pokemon.

The film tells the story of Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) and a talking Detective Pikachu - who can only be heard by Tim -  as they investigate the mysterious disappearance of private eye Harry Goodman (Paul Kitson). 

As the duo follow clues through Ryme City, they uncover a plot that could “threaten the whole pokemon universe”.

The film is directed by Rob Letterman, whose previous credits include Goosebumps and Monsters Vs. Aliens.

Franchise expansion

The movie marks the first-ever live-action adaptation of the wildly successful games franchise. Hugely popular on Nintendo’s handhelds, it has sold over 300 million units to date.

The IP was also harnessed for Niantic’s multi-billion dollar smash hit Pokemon Go on mobile in 2016.

Detective Pikachu isn’t the first time the franchise has made its way to the big screen. The series of animated films have generated more than $700 million at the box office.

The animated series meanwhile is now in its 20th season, featuring more than 1,000 episodes.