Pokémon Can Avoid A Star Wars-Style Nostalgia Backlash

Unlike the Star Wars franchise in recent years, Detective Pikachu has managed to unite fans rather than divide them. The first live-action Pokémon movie has only grown in buzz since the first Detective Pikachu trailer released in late 2018, with fans becoming more and more enamored with the new film as time goes on.

This is the exact opposite of what's happened with Star Wars fandom, unfortunately, which gradually started to tear apart when J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens hit theaters in 2015 before splintering entirely with Rian Johnson's Star Wars: The Last Jedi in 2017. Both rooted firmly in nostalgia, Pokémon and Star Wars have massive global fanbases that harbor intense feelings towards the properties, yet as of now, only one of them still has that shared excitement among its fans.

The Detective Pikachu movie is doing what Star Wars used to do: bring everyone together to celebrate a huge, cultural touchstone. (In this case, the first-ever live-action adaptation of Pokémon.) And Detective Pikachu is doing it even better than Star Wars: The Force Awakens did.

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Detective Pikachu's Response Is Overwhelmingly Positive

Every one of Detective Pikachu's trailers have attracted mass viewership. The recently-released second Detective Pikachu trailer received 12 million views on YouTube in only two days, and that's just counting from the official Warner Bros. YouTube channel. Social media has been good, too, with people expressing either outright joy or making playful memes about Detective Pikachu's "live-action" Pokémon. People are waiting for new footage with baited breath like they do a new Marvel film, curious to see what new monsters are revealed with each teaser.

Bear in mind this is both a video game movie and an anime adaptation, so skepticism would be expected, but instead, fans are accepting Detective Pikachu with open arms. It's too early for box office projections, but there's no indication that this won't be one of the biggest releases of the year, if it's at all decent. For a direct comparison, look at this relative to Sonic: The Hedgehog - the new live-action Sonic movie - which has much lower levels of discussion online, and when there is discussion, it isn't good; Sonic's weirdly muscular design is making fans dubious. Detective Pikachu, meanwhile, seems to have hit the sweet spot in marketing.

Nostalgia Franchises Are Divisive Because Nobody Can Agree On Them

It's become remarkably difficult to sell a new film based on a nostalgic property. First there's the immediate cynicism that it's a cash-grab from the studio who are out of original ideas; then there's the minefield of the new version not lining up with the established fanbase's expectations. Star Wars is the biggest, obviously, but Ghostbusters and the DCEU have also become tainted with unruly critics.

There's over 40 years of history and dedication behind the stories of Han, Luke, and Leia, and in all those years, there's been umpteen projects between the expanded universe and various spinoffs that could be someone's ideal Star Wars. Same with Batman and Superman, who have 80 years of canon behind them and each a couple of cinematic classics. How does a studio make a new movie out of them that satiates the diehard Hush fan as well as the one who grew up watching Batman '66?

Then there's Ghostbusters - the fallout from the female-fronted reboot looks like it's going to haunt Jason Reitman's Ghostbusters 3 and beyond. When something's been around long enough, fans develop a particular connection, and when creators move against that connection, everything can turn very sour very quick. Yet, where Ghostbusters was written off for getting a new cast and going in a different direction from the old films, Detective Pikachu hasn't been questioned for not having Ash Ketchum or Professor Oak. Aside from mere toxicity, the answer also lies in some smart, long-play franchising.

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Pokemon Is The Same For Every Generation

The Pokémon Company has been savvy in the run-up to Detective Pikachu. Releases of the Pokémon games have continued, with new generations every couple of years - Pokémon Sword and Shield was recently announced, for instance. But they also had Pokémon Go on mobile and Pokémon Let's Go! on Nintendo Switch - games that have centered on the Generation 1 that many fondly remember.

They've been gradually building back up the stock for Pikachu and the first generation, attracting new as well as lapsed fans, and making them more accessible than ever. Pokémon Go meant millennials now in their 20s and 30s could catch Pokémon on their free time, as could their friends, co-workers, and family members because the game was a free download and didn't require much maintenance. Same with Let's Go! for Switch users; the console's portability makes it perfect for commuting, and being a remake of Red and Blue, countless young players have become enamored with those original designs for the first time.

Detective Pikachu is coming out into a world that's just been reminded why Pokémon was popular, to begin with. Even though it's a fresh narrative, Pikachu is still at the story's core and the world has that recognizable magic to it. Pikachu was already a cultural icon, and the Detective Pikachu movie is set to firmly embed the character into the wider psyche, while bringing the likes of Jigglypuff, Snorlax, and Bulbasaur with it.

Could Pokemon Become The Biggest Movie Franchise?

The cinematic landscape is shifting. Star Wars' main saga is ending and there's nothing concrete on when a new Star Wars movie will release, while Marvel is being coy about MCU's future beyond this year's Avengers: Endgame. Meanwhile, after Aquaman's success, DC has dated several more movies through 2021 and 2022 - but some of those productions could very much be a gamble. Pokémon, on the other hand, could become the new dominant franchise at this point.

Already Detective Pikachu is the movie many of us grew up wanting to see, so there's no doubt this isn't going to make its money. The big question is, if it delivers, what then? Nostalgia can be fickle, and being an anime adaptation, they're going to want to skirt lightly around how much they bring over, making sure what they're doing works visually and doesn't draw ire over concerns of representation. Using American actors for what is a separate story from the anime and games has protected them from these worries, and it's hard to undo if they cast someone as a well-known characters and fans revolt.

The likes of Team Rocket, the Pokemon league and legendary Pokemon are all great sequel ideas that each present distinct challenges that could make or break the movies. The box office probably won't be dented if they go ahead with one of them and it doesn't work, but the feeling around the franchise may sour. Making money is great, but real longevity is in fond memories and positive word of mouth. The kind of longevity that's kept Stars Wars going for more than 40 years, and keeps the possibility of a new Batman exciting. That's the kind of mileage Pokémon will need to take on the silver screen like they have everywhere else, and so far they couldn't be off to a better start.