Detective Pikachu Outdoor Movie Night 2026 in Dubai

The Detective Pikachu outdoor movie night brings the live-action Pokémon mystery to the big screen at JLT Park in Dubai on Saturday 19 December 2026. It is part of Cinema Under the Stars, the free weekly open-air film series in Jumeirah Lakes Towers, and the film starts at 7:30pm on the lawn in Cluster Q.

No ticket is needed to watch from the grass: bring a blanket or a chair, and a picnic if you like, and settle in for one of the most family-friendly titles of the season.

Pokémon Detective Pikachu on the big screen

Released in 2019 and directed by Rob Letterman, Pokémon Detective Pikachu was the first live-action Pokémon film, and the first live-action film based on a Nintendo game property since Super Mario Bros. in 1993. It is loosely based on the Detective Pikachu video game, which first came out in Japan in 2016 before reaching other markets in 2018. Ryan Reynolds did more than lend his voice: he also provided the motion capture for Pikachu, which is why the character’s timing feels so much like his own.

The story is set in Ryme City, a metropolis founded by Howard Clifford, played by Bill Nighy, as a place where people and Pokémon live side by side, without Poké Balls and with battles banned. Justice Smith plays Tim Goodman, a young man who arrives in the city after his detective father goes missing and finds he can understand his father’s Pokémon partner, a wise-cracking, coffee-loving Pikachu voiced by Ryan Reynolds. With journalist Lucy Stevens, played by Kathryn Newton, and with Ken Watanabe also in the cast, they follow a trail of clues through the city.

The film was a big hit. Made on a production budget of around 150 million US dollars, it opened with about 54 million dollars in North America and went on to take more than 430 million worldwide, ranking among the highest-grossing video game adaptations of its time. Reviews were generally positive. A 2023 sequel to the game was designed with a possible second film in mind, but no film sequel has been made, so this remains Pikachu’s only big-screen detective case. It is rated PG and runs about an hour and 45 minutes, so it is one of the shorter and lighter choices in the series. Expect jokes aimed at both children and adults, plenty of familiar Pokémon on screen and a mystery that keeps older viewers guessing.

Cinema Under the Stars at JLT Park

Cinema Under the Stars is run by JLT, the community managed by DMCC, and has become a winter fixture in the district. DMCC has described the series as part of its community wellbeing work, and earlier seasons brought in sponsors such as Black + Decker. Recent seasons have mixed family favourites such as Moana, Ratatouille, The Greatest Showman and Wall-E with action and adventure titles.

This season runs every Saturday until 30 January 2027, with films announced two weeks ahead and screenings shown with English and Arabic subtitles. Detective Pikachu comes a few weeks after earlier family picks such as Toy Story and The Martian, and it is the last screening before Christmas week.

The screen is set up in JLT Park, Cluster Q, between Splendour Fields and the children’s playground, which is handy if younger children want to burn off some energy before the film starts. You are welcome to bring your own chair, blanket, food and drinks, as long as you clean up afterwards. For extra comfort, beanbag spots near the front can be reserved and come with a large popcorn; they are limited and allocated on a first come, first served basis. Pets are not allowed at the screenings.

Getting to the Detective Pikachu movie night in JLT

JLT Park is about a five-minute walk from Sobha Realty Metro Station on the Red Line, using Exit 1 and walking through Cluster R. Paid parking is available in Clusters Q and R and at JLT Park, and taxis can drop off at Cluster Q, Cluster R or the park itself. There is level access from the promenade and accessible toilets in Cluster Q, so the lawn works for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

The screening is outdoors, and JLT shares updates on its own channels if the weather affects a Saturday screening.

Who it suits

With its PG rating, short running time and talking Pikachu, this is the screening to pick if you have Pokémon-mad children in primary school. Parents who grew up with Pokémon will spot plenty of familiar creatures on screen. Because it is free and outdoors, it also works as a low-pressure first cinema trip for children who might not sit still in an indoor theatre.

For more family plans, browse kids events in Dubai, and see our guides to things to do in Dubai and things to do in December.