Second trailer for Detective Pikachu thrills fans while expanding world

The second trailer for Detective Pikachu is here, and gives fans a greater insight into the world of Pokemon, specifically the Pokemon in Detective Pikachu.

This Detective Pikachu trailer expands heavily on the story from the first one, giving us our first insights into why the talking Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds) is so eager to team up with Tim (Justice Smith). Turns out that he is looking for Tim’s father, whose hat (worn by the titular detective) is the only clue that he has about his identity, because he is suffering from amnesia.

The big news from this new trailer is, of course, the big man himself: Mewtwo, bursting from the inside of a burning Pikachu balloon as “Holding Out for a Hero” crescendos. But, Mewtwo isn’t the only new Pokemon features!

While some fans still remain split on the realistic Pokemon designs (nightmare inducing Aipom, anyone?) many more are excited to see their favorites, including some from later generations, get the Detective Pikachu treatment. My personal favorite was the absolutely funny looking Ludicolo. Other new additions include Lickitung, Cubone, Flareon, Machamp, and a ghastly looking Gengar.

We also get to see more of Lucy (Kathryn Newton) and her Psyduck partner. Lucy is supposedly a junior reporter working on her first major scoop, and it remains to be seen whether or not her Psyduck is one only she can understand.

I am also very curious to learn more about how Pokemon training occurs in this universe. We’ve learned that Tim is a failed Pokemon trainer and have now seen more of the underground fight club featuring Charizard, but are lacking clarity on how and under what circumstance Pokemon battles actually occur.

One thing is clear, however: this is a more dark (some would say mature) Pokemon world than the frankly solarpunk setting of the games.

Though this movie seems to be going the Deadpool route, with everything from the cutsey Pikachu saying “hell” right on down to Ryan Reynolds’s mere presence, there is plenty to suggest that the film is in the hands of some true fans of the games. Eagle eye fans will notice several loving tributes to the original games, such as the Snorlax blocking the bike path in the trailer, among others.

Based on trailers alone, it does appear that Detective Pikachu is straddling the line between the typical cutesy, kid friendly style of the games with a more mature, PG-13 darker humor, but we will have to wait and see if the movie can maintain that over its full, currently TBD runtime.

Detective Pikachu hits theaters everywhere May 10.