It's official: A live-action Pokemon movie will begin production in 2017

YouTube/The Pokemon Company

A screenshot from the trailer for the "Detective Pikachu" game, upon which a new live-action Pokémon movie is based.

Pokémon is officially sweeping the nation.

In addition to the cultural phenomenon that is "Pokémon GO," we're now seeing reports that a brand-new live-action Pokémon movie is officially going to begin production in 2017!

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Oddly enough, the new movie will be based on the silly and unusual "Detective Pikachu" game, which so far has only been released in Japan, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

In this game for the handheld Nintendo 3DS system, which is officially titled "Great Detective Pikachu: The Birth of a New Duo," you play as a human named Tim, who collaborates with a particularly gruff interpretation of Pikachu, who wears a Sherlock-style deerstalker hat.

As you might have guessed, the game revolves around gathering evidence, talking to witnesses, and attempting to solve various mysteries around town.

Shortly after the release of the Japanese trailer for the "Detective Pikachu" game in January 2016, a Change.org petition started making the rounds which called for Danny DeVito to be the official voice of Pikachu should the game ever be translated to English. 

Someone even dubbed dialogue from a variety of DeVito's movies over the "Detective Pikachu" trailer, and it's fantastic - seriously, watch it right now.

Legendary hasn't said exactly what their plans are for their "Detective Pikachu" movie, but we're keeping our fingers crossed they're making some calls to Danny DeVito's people.