‘Pokémon’ returns to theaters with new movie ‘Wild Card’ after seven-year wait
‘Pokémon’ is returning to theaters. The announcement was made at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco, revealing that a new theatrical film titled ‘Pokémon: Wild Card’ is slated to release worldwide in 2027. It will be the first feature-length film in the franchise since the 2018 release of ‘Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us,’ which only played in limited markets through Fathom Events, and the 2020 direct-to-Netflix ‘Secrets of the Jungle,’ which released globally in 2021. Seven years after its last theatrical release, ‘Pokémon’ is returning to cinemas, with an original story that does not follow the traditional ‘Pokémon’ gym badge circuit.
‘Pokémon: Wild Card’ will follow a Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) player who is chasing the dream of becoming a champion, paired with none other than Mimikyu, the Ghost/Fairy-type who has been hiding under that ragged Pikachu suit since ‘Sun’ and ‘Moon.’ Nintendo Insider reported that Tsunekazu Ishihara, president and CEO of Pokémon Company, announced: “For the first time in seven years, a new Pokémon movie is on its way,” and that the new film’s main character is “battling and striving to become a Champion, like many of you here today,” and it “aims to showcase the competitive spirit for battle shared by Trainers around the world.”
In particular, the teaser for the film strongly suggests that the story will revolve more around the TCG than an on-foot journey to collect all eight Pokémon League Gyms. The footage opens with two players sitting across from each other at a table piled high with cards, and a mysterious lead card wearing a yellow hoodie that looks just like Mimikyu. Meanwhile, Katsuhiko Kitada is on board to direct the film, fresh off his work on ‘The First Slam Dunk,’ ‘Naruto: Shippuden,’ and ‘Attack on Titan,’ and Akemi Hayashi is designing the characters, with CloverWorks providing the animation and STORY inc. handling production.
With an established anime studio, an acclaimed director, and a recognizable character like Mimikyu, ‘Pokémon: Wild Card’ has the potential to be a massive hit when it launches in 2027. For now, the film’s arrival is still a year away, with no specific release window. The story, characters, and cast for the film have yet to be revealed. In addition, the timing appears to coincide with the anniversary of the franchise’s 30th birthday, which was celebrated on February 27. It was the same day that details about the upcoming ‘Winds’ and ‘Waves’ games, set to release on the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027, were revealed. Thus, 2027 promises to be a year of Pokémon-related activities.
