If you remember, there was a petition floating around to get Danny DeVito to voice Detective Pikachu in Nintendo’s imported tweak on the classic Pokemon character. Some of us even made pretty good cases for why Frank Reynolds/DeVito would make the perfect candidate for the voice.
It was a fairly popular petition, but like most petitions, it turns out to be worthless. A fan asked the Always Sunny star about the project at the cast’s recent session at the Paley Center and he gave a very direct and memorable answer:
At an event in LA yesterday, DeVito was asked if he was aware of fans wanting him to voice Detective Pikachu to which he responded, “No. I don’t know what you’re talking about” before asking his fellow It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia cast members, “What the f*ck is Pokémon?”
Destructoid carried the initial report, but if you don’t fully believe it to be true, the Paley Center actually Tweeted about it to their account:
Audience Q:Will Danny DeVito voice the Detective Pikachu videogame? Danny says "No" and asks what it is, "What the F is Pokemon?" #PaleyLive
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) April 2, 2016
One can only hope that they’ll release video at some point. The visual of DeVito looking a little bewildered and then asking the gang what the f*ck a Pokemon is sounds exactly like something you’d see on the show.
The sad news won’t stay sad for long. Nintendo fans will just have to go for their backup choice for Pikachu’s detective voice:
Anyone else still surprised by Detective Pikachu's voice acting? Cheer up little guy! pic.twitter.com/pDsKgHnpKw
— Porygon (@PorygonNews) February 3, 2016
(Via Destructoid / Paley Center)