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In celebration of Pokémon Detective PIkachu, I had a chance to sit down with co-stars Justice Smith and Kathryn Newton while in Tokyo for the Warner Bros. press event. Smith stars as Tim Goodman, a young man whose childhood dreams of being a Pokémon trainer fall by the wayside until his father's disappearance leads him to Ryme City for a mystery-solving team-up with Pikachu. Newton plays Lucy Stevens, an ambitious reporter looking to solve the case and break the story, helping Tim and Pikachu along the way with her companion Psyduck, of course.

After I quizzed the duo on their Pokémon knowledge, we chatted about just how difficult it was to act opposite green screens as if their Pokémon pals were on set with them and what it was like to see the final finished version on the big screen. The two also revealed what they would like to see in a possible sequel, should that come to pass.

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Image via Warner Bros. and Legendary

Also starring Ryan Reynolds, Suki Waterhouse, Ken Watanabe, Bill Nighy, Chris Geere, Karan Soni, and Rita Ora, director Rob Letterman's Pokémon Detective PIkachu arrives in theaters today. Be sure to keep an eye out for more interviews from the cast and crew!

Here’s the official synopsis for Pokémon Detective Pikachu:

The first-ever live-action Pokémon adventure, “POKÉMON Detective Pikachu” stars Ryan Reynolds as Detective Pikachu and is based on the beloved Pokémon brand—one of the world’s most popular, multi-generation entertainment properties and one of the most successful media franchises of all time. Fans everywhere can now experience a Pikachu on the big screen as never before, as Detective Pikachu, a Pokémon like no other. The film also showcases a wide array of beloved Pokémon, each with its own unique traits and personality.

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The story begins when ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son Tim to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry’s former Pokémon partner, Detective Pikachu: a hilariously wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth who is a puzzlement even to himself. Finding that they are uniquely equipped to work together, as Tim is the only human who can talk with Detective Pikachu, they join forces on a thrilling adventure to unravel the tangled mystery. Chasing clues together through the neon-lit streets of Ryme City—a sprawling, modern metropolis where humans and Pokémon live side by side in a hyper-realistic live-action world—they encounter a diverse cast of Pokémon and uncover a shocking plot that could destroy this peaceful co-existence and threaten the whole Pokémon universe.

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Image via Warner Bros. and Legendary

And for more on Pokémon: Detective Pikachu, be sure to get caught up with these recent write-ups:

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