Shenzhen, Guangdong -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/26/2016 -- After two weeks since the Pokémon Go app game was released and became a worldwide phenomenon, there comes another good news to Pokémon fans. Legendary Entertainment has announced winning the rights to a Pokémon movie based on the character "Detective Pikachu" and is partnering with the Pokémon Company to launch the first live-action Pokémon film franchise in 2017. Meanwhile, Universe would be in charge of this Pokémon live-action film's distribution.

Pokémon Go is a free-to-play location-based augmented reality mobile game developed by Niantic for iOS and Android devices. The augmented reality game allows players to capture, battle and train the Pokémon virtual creatures, like Pidgey and Pikachu. This Pokémon Go app could be downloaded on both Apple App Store and Android downloading center. Also, people could transfer Pokémon app from iPhone to iPad via data transfer app to save traffic. With the fast spreading and growing popularity of Pokémon Go app game, it led to a 25% jump in the stock of part owner Nintendo. Obviously, it has also brought explosion of relevant products and services like Pokémon Radar, community-driven Pokémon finding tool that allows players to search for Pokémon and submit their findings when they run across Pokémon anywhere in the world.

Since Pokémon Go app game has become a worldwide phenomenon, inevitably, Pokémon themed movies would be an easy success in movie industry as it already has a big amount of audience. In an emailed statement, Legendary declared that it has won the first "Pokémon live-action film franchise," which will be based on Detective Pikachu, a deerstalker hat-wearing Pikachu that has already appeared in a video game in Japan. This first Pokémon movie will be fast-tracked for production to start in 2017. The Pokémon movie's production will be unusual, because it partners Japan's Pokémon Company and a Chinese-owned studio, a rare combination.

As to the Pokémon film distribution, Toho, the Pokémon Company's long-term movie collaborator, will handle distribution of the film franchise in Japan, just like it had similarly done on the reboot for the Godzilla franchise with Legendary. While outside Japan, Universal Pictures will handle distribution of the live-action film.

This Pokémon is the second English-language blockbuster of Legendary Pictures after it's been purchased by China's Dalian Wanda Group, the largest movie theater company in the world. Wanda is also reportedly bidding to purchase a minority stake in Paramount Pictures. The first attempt is Warcraft, a Legendary film based on the video game World of Warcraft, which broke box-office records in China, the largest movie market in the world.

About David Brooks
David Brooks is a fulltime web content writer and editor specialized in Blu-ray, DVD, movie industry, and Apple utilities from the software giant - Leawo Software. He mainly focuses, shares and writes on the latest changes of movie industry, mobile phone games, practical Blu-ray/DVD solutions, tips, knowledge and how-tos. Meanwhile, David is also a contributor to some tech website giant like CNET, PCWorld, Lifehack, etc.