'Detective Pikachu' to start filming January 2018

A screenshot from the video game "Detective Pikachu."The Pokemon Company

It won't be long before fans get to see Pikachu in a new live-action film. Titled "Detective Pikachu," the movie is set to start filming early next year.

Reports have surfaced that Legendary Pictures will be adapting a live-action version of the immensely popular video game series "Pokémon." According to Omega Underground, the "Detective Pikachu" movie is set to start rolling their cameras in London by January 2018.

No announcement has been made with regard to the cast but with a definite production date just around the corner, the announcement should come shortly.

Meanwhile, the film studio has reportedly tapped director Rob Letterman who previously worked on the movie "Goosebumps." The script is said to be penned by the team of Nicole Perlman, who wrote the script for the upcoming "Captain Marvel," and Alex Hirsh who is known for creating "Gravity Falls."

"Detective Pikachu" will be adapted from the Japanese video game "Great Detective Pikachu." The video game's version of the popular pocket monster is high-functioning and is capable of high-level verbal communication. Pikachu teams up with a human boy named Tim Goodman and the two become sleuths. Pikachu even dons a Sherlock Holmes hat.

Legendary Pictures was able to get the rights to make a film based on the Pokémon Universe back in 2016.

Before details for "Detective Pikachu were uncovered, screenwriter Max Landis talked about his proposal for a live-action "Pokémon" movie that was a frontrunner to being greenlighted.

Landis, in an interview, described his version of Pikachu to be emotional and very cool. However, it may not get to see the light of day with the revelation about "Detective Pikachu."

The "Detective Pikachu" film with a highly intelligent Pikachu and an ambiguous origin might blindside the fans and audience especially if Legendary Pictures is trying to build a movie franchise out of the Pokémon Universe.