A live-action Pokémon film could be on the way

An instalment of live-action Pokémon films could be heading to cinemas around the world once a bidding war for screen rights to the beloved Japanese franchise is won.

It appears fans could be one step closer to seeing Pokémon brought to life, according to The Hollywood Reporter who claims a “top-secret auction” for the movie rights was “nearing completion.”

It is believed the three main studios vying for the prize are Warner Bros., Sony and Legendary Entertainment.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. is said to have had pursued the rights “aggressively”.

The company previously released the animated film Pokémon: The First Movie in 1999 and two sequels.

While it was tipped to be the production company to win, it looks as though Chinese-owned Legendary could be set to obtain to the rights.

The Pokémon Company is said to have been in talks with Hollywood heavy weights for years with the plan to launch a big-budget live-action movie.

The franchise, which celebrated its twentieth anniversary this year, began as a pair of video games before branching out to become a successful television show with animated film spin-offs.