Pokemon (live-action movie)

Disclaimer: ''This is absolutely and extremely a 1 in a MILLION POSSIBLITY. Many fans would actually disagree with the film being made and would even boycott it. Have you seen Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li? It seems that film studios must think it two times before making a Pokemon movie or they will lose millions and get slammed by critics. But in my personal opinion, if done right, it could be AWESOME''

The idea of a Pokemon live-action film has been roaming enthusiastic fans' minds since about 2000, but when Transformers (another film based on an originally-Japanese toy and media franchise) was released in 2007, many site forums were playing with the idea overnight. Fans wondered if it would be possible, considering the resurgence in popularity that Pokemon Diamond and Pearl gave to the Pokemon franchise.

Plot
Eons ago, a mysterious deer-like creature, referred as Arceus, came from nowhere and created the Pokemon before humans stepped on the world. After a massive catastrophe destroys/reduces multiple Pokémon species (such as fossil Pokemon like Aerodactyl, and semi-legendary Pokemon like Dratini and Heatran), humans appear to fill the void. They live in harmony until the Rocket War occurs in year 1;227,996 (After Arceus).

The War, which was started by the Rocket Region, was intiated against the harmonious country of Sinnoh, but it was later expanded to the entire world, as Hoenn, Johto, and later Kanto, joined the effort to defend their Sinnoh brethren. Humans originally fought by their side, but later, the Rocket Region began to catch, torture and genetically modify Pokemon to make them mindless war machines. The remaining Pokemon hid on caves and attempted to escape sad and brutal fates. A soldier who was also an avid Pokemon lover, known as Steve Ketchum, began not only to defend humans, but Pokemon as well. One day, Steve and his squad entered an inactive volcano trying to defend some frail Pokemon from Rocket Region dictator Giovanni, the effort was succesful: the Pokemon were unharmed, but at the cost of Steve's life at the hands of Giovanni. Inspired by Steve's sacrifice all the Pokemon began to form a new military force against the Rocket Region, and, with their powers and abilities, began to wipe out the Rocket Army from every region. The war ended on victory for the Four Regions, and both humans and Pokemon began to rebuild their normal lives. The hardest hit of the war came to Delia Ketchum, Steve's widow, who was now a single mother in charge of their newborn son, Ash.

After the War, things changed, Pokémon with battle experience began to make friendly competences against other Pokemon, This made their trainers to support them in their battles and teach them moves and abilities to attain victory. This gave origin to the concept of Pokemon battling. While first an recreational activity, it became an inter-regional sport, practiced from Kanto to Sinnoh, and Pokémon leagues were done in each continent. Then, Pokémon, who were seen as wild creatures, began to be integrated into society, and even becoming friends and colleagues of their trainers.

Meanwhile, the warmonger continent of the Rocket Region, now without resources, begins to send undercover agents to the four regions to capture Pokémon that can only be obtained on the defeated region by black market trade, in order to capture Pokemon, modify them and use them as weapons that will help Giovanni wage war again.

Moving out from this prologue, 20-year-old Ash Ketchum is woken up with a thundershock by his Pokémon, Pikachu, which he has had since he was 10. It's Ash's class graduation, meaning that he will be able to leave home and make his mark on the "outside world". His mother Delia is very proud of him, while his rival Gary Oak waits outside to pester him and call himself "superior" and a "wasted talent".

After Ash's graduation ceremony, he's greeted with a farewell party by his friends and family, with the most important gift given to him by Professor Oak: a PokeDex, meaning he's now an official Pokemon trainer. Ash thanks everyone for their support and wishes that his dad was here on this important moment. The next morning, Ash sets up everything to set his way through the Kanto region. He checks his bike, puts necessary stuff on his backpack, sits Pikachu on the front basket and rides to the limits of Pallet Town, where he is said goodbye from his mother, Prof. Oak and the people who have known him since a young boy.

Ash begins to travel through the plains, finding both friendly and unfriendly Pokemon, getting into trouble and meeting Pokemon friends alike. That is when he meets a Bulbasaur, Ash attempts to battle him and even gives a command to Pikachu, but later realizes that the Bulbasaur in question was being pestered by its Ivysaur siblings, who mocked him due to his relatively recent birth and the fact he won't be able to evolve into Ivysaur until 9 or 8 levels more. Ash makes amends with Bulbasaur, and this, in sign of amends, joins him on the journey, meaning that he is Ash's first catch.

Far from the forest, Two rascals, Jessie and James, members of the Rocket Army, see Ash, Pikachu and Bulbasaur from a distance and plan on stealing Pikachu, which could be an interesting Pokemon to bring to their boss, Giovanni.

Development
For a director, Universal/Fox/whoever studio picks the idea should go with the ones that care about PG/PG-13 audiences (target rating).

To name a few...


 * J.J. Abrams
 * Known for: Cloverfield and Star Trek
 * Reasons: Star Trek's reboot was critically acclaimed, ¿Can Mr. Abrams revive such a forgotten franchise as Pokémon? You bet.

more to come...

Characters/Cast
PROTAGONISTS

Rules for casting main characters:

-Older actors that have had knowledge of Pokemon in their childhood/teens

-About 20-30 years old

-Can be both teen idols and geeks at heart.

-Haven't been on a same movie on their careers (or otherwise there would be very cheap/typecasted chemistry).

Adam Brody as Ash Ketchum, 20-year-old college graduate who desperately wants to leave his "small town" life in Pallet Town and visit the outside world. Ash's biggest friend is Pikachu, his partner he has had since 10. He wants to become the greatest Pokemon Trainer in the world.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Misty, a 19-year-old water Pokemon trainer and leader of Cerulean City Gym, who joins Ash since he owes her 25,000P= due to crashing his bike with her Waterdrop three-wheeler vehicle that was a sweet 16 birthday present from her father who is away. While initially hostile to Ash,she ends up considering him a good friend by the end of the film. However, she dislikes to be mistaken for Ash's girlfriend and angrily reacts to that implication.

Channing Tatum as Brock, a 27-year-old biker and Rock-type Pokemon trainer. He is tough, but has a soft side for small Pokemon, such as a Vulpix he finds while traveling in his chopper. He has (implied) Native American ancestry. He also likes hitting on girls, such as Officer Jenny or Nurse Joy, which causes him to be pulled by the ear or slapped by Misty.

ADULTS

Hugh Laurie as Professor Samuel Oak The wise-cracking but genius PokeProf. of Pallet Town, he gave Pikachu to Ash as a present in his 10th birthday, with the promise that he would finish college (or otherwise wouldn't give him his trainer license). While he's Gary's grandfather, he never gives Gary what he wants if he does not deserve it, and resolves conflicts with a neutral point of view.

Patrick Wilson as Professor Jonathan Elm. Johto's Pokemon Prof. who's on a visit to Pallet University to find the best students to accompany him to Johto. He's a bit of a neurotic, and freaks out when a starter Pokémon, even when it isn't from the Johto region, gets lost.

Melissa Gilbert as Delia Ketchum Ash's mother and widower of Steve Ketchum. Though she's proud of her son due to his excellence in college, she still worries about him, even if he's an legal adult, and calls him every week, sometimes in crucial moments in the film (as a running joke).

Liev Schrieber as Steve Ketchum Ash's late father and Delia's husband who died in the Great Pokemon War. He mainly appears in flashbacks. He was a high-ranking Sergeant in the Regional Pokemon Defense Forces of Kanto (RPDF-K) and a friend of Lt. Surge. He loved Pokemon, and considered them part of his "extended family". With the anime Ash's father being only vaguely referenced in the very first episode of Pokémon (Ash's mother mentions him when Ash leaves Pallet Town) and his identity never being revealed, his person is an original creation of the producers.

Lawrence Fishburne as '''President Marcus Lewis. '''President of the Kanto region. He has a principle of using self-defense only as a final resource, and first "knowing your opponent's intentions" because "they might be not evil at all, just misunderstood." He has one Pokemon, an Empoleon (An 2nd stage evolved starter from the 4th generation), which serves as his Secretary of Pokemon Welfare and assistant. His African ancestry and the fact that he is president is a reference to incumbent U.S. president Barack Obama.

Bruce Willis as '''Lieutenant Surge. '''A former lieutenant of the RPDF-K and an old friend of Ash's father. He is strict and treats all of his students as if they were in a bootcamp. He now spends his "retirement" by being the Gym Leader of Vermillion City who uses Electric-type Pokemon.

MAIN POKEMON

'''Pikachu. '''Ash's Pokemon partner since he was a 10-year old. He's an Electric type, rodent-like Pokemon that can expel mighty thundershocks from its body (Which he even uses to wake up Ash in comical effect).

'''Bulbasaur. '''Ash's first captured Pokemon. A grass-type, dinosaur-like Pokémon with a flower-like appendage on it's back that can be used to collect sunbeams and shoot seeds and razor-sharp leaves.

Squirtle: A Water-type Pokemon that resembles a tiny turtle. He can hide on his shell and send himself flying to the opponent, as well as breathing water out of his mouth, and was originally the leader of a freelance firefighting squad composed of members of his species.

'''Charmander. '''A lizard-like, Fire-type Pokemon that hatched from an egg that resembled a rock with molten lava markings. With the flame on its tail, it can breathe fire and set up massive blazes. He later evolves into Charmeleon and finally into the larger, dragon-like '''Charizard. '''

'''Pidgeot. '''A Flying-type Pokemon that, despite it's name, more closely resembles an large eagle than a pidgeon. While in the anime Pidgeot is male, it's gender was changed to give it more depth. She has her own reasons to fight against the Rocket Army: They stole her newborn chicks (known as Pidgey) while she looked for food for them. She first sees Ash and tries to hurt him, but later determines that Ash has a pure heart (One of her abilities) and joins him.

'''Staryu. '''A Pokemon of Misty's that resembles a starfish made of stone with a ruby on its centre that fires beams that can confuse foes. She can either be as light as a feather in order to float, or she can turn rock-hard and sink onto the depths.

'''Goldeen. '''A fish-like Pokemon with a horn on her front that can use it as a missile. One of Misty's Pokemon and her second choice after Staryu.

'''Psyduck. '''An accidental catch on Misty's part. A Platypus-like Pokemon whose constant headaches annoy him and cause him, in turn, to annoy it's trainer. However, he is quite apt at using Psychic attacks, as he is a double-type Water/Psychic Pokemon.

'''Onix. '''A gigantic, serpent-like Rock-type Pokemon and Brock's main pick. He can ensnare enemies with a wrestling-style hold and leave them without only 50% of their air supply. Apart from that, he is a tame and friendly Pokemon that only fights when it's needed.

'''Vulpix. '''A small, fox-like Pokemon with nine tails that Brock finds in the desert.