Netflix's long-in-development live-action Pokémon series has gotten an exciting production development amid months of silence surrounding the project. Netflix's Pokémon live-action series has been one of the best-kept secrets in the entertainment industry. For years, whispers of a streaming adaptation of Nintendo's monster-collecting franchise have swirled. Yet, it still has not seen the light of day.
According to a new report, the live-action Pokémon is still in development at Netflix, and it could receive more news soon. An insider shared the update on X, revealing that the streamer is still pursuing the adaptation, and fans will receive more information "next year."
This is just the latest scoop on the in-the-works Pokémon series that fans have gotten. In July, known scooper Daniel Richtman shared that the series will focus on the main character from the original Pokémon games, Red, and not Ash Ketchum (the hero from the long-running Pokémon anime).
The series was first unveiled back in 2021, with Lucifer's Joe Henderson set to helm the project. After that, the next significant update came in 2023, when it was reported that the show was still in development and was heading into pre-production at the time.
Since then, things have been relatively quiet, and (as far as the public knows) the project has not begun casting or production.
This live-action series exists separately from the already announced Detective Pikachu sequel starring Ryan Reynolds. Instead, it seems this will tell an original story based on the games, following a trainer as he ventures to become the very best Pokémon trainer in all the land.
When Will Fans See Netflix's Pokémon Series?
After years of speculation, it seems that Netflix's live-action Pokémon project is still underway; it is just a matter of when the streamer decides it is time to unveil the long-awaited video game adaptation.
2026 feels like it may finally be the year. No, fans should not expect the Pokémon series to be released next year, but it seems highly probable that we will at least finally hear about the streamer's plans for the monster-collecting franchise.
This is especially the case, considering Netflix is about to lose one of its biggest names with the acclaimed Stranger Things coming to an end later this year (read more about Stranger Things 5 here).
Stranger Things will leave a massive hole in the platform's catalog, a void that a Pokémon project could potentially fill as the next tentpole adaptation on the streamer.
A live-action Pokémon series has been a pipe dream for fans of the franchise since its conception. While Detective Pikachu satisfied that hunger in a sense, it did not deliver the exact high that fans were looking for.
By all accounts, this new Pokémon series would fulfill the dream of adapting the story set forth in the games, making its potential for success nearly infinite.
Then, with a trifecta of the live-action One Piece, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Pokémon, Netflix could cover any ground it may lose with Stranger Things going away.
