15 Upcoming Movies That Might Be Surprisingly Awesome

8. Detective Pikachu

Release Date: May 10, 2019

Why It Should Suck: Video game movies are still struggling to be taken seriously as, well, good movies, so it's not easy to have anything but middling expectations for this adaptation of a video game that itself received mixed notices from critics.

Plus, Rob Letterman (Monsters vs. Aliens, Gulliver's Travels, Goosebumps) is directing, who is nothing if not an utterly unremarkable choice for a project like this.

Why It Might Be Awesome: Two words: Ryan Reynolds. While many eyebrows were raised when Deadpool himself was cast as the titular Pokemon, Reynolds' distinctive voice could bring a real sense of cheek and charm to the character.

Plus, Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain Marvel) is co-writing the screenplay, which is definitely encouraging. If it leans into its cutesiness while making light of Pikachu existing in the "real world", this could be just the self-aware treat for both hardcore Pokemon obsessive and non-fans alike.