The Pokémon franchise is returning to theaters with a new film, 'Pokémon: Wild Card,' directed by Katsuhiko Kitada and produced by CloverWorks.
Key facts
- •The film was announced at the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco.
- •Mimikyu, a ghost and fairy type Pokémon, is featured in the teaser.
- •CloverWorks is the animation studio producing the project.
- •The franchise celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2026.
- •The 10th generation games, 'Winds' and 'Waves,' are scheduled for release in 2027.
The Pokémon franchise announced a new film titled 'Pokémon: Wild Card' during the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco. The movie is scheduled for a worldwide release in 2027. A teaser released alongside the announcement features a trading card game player and a ghost-type Pokémon named Mimikyu.
Production and Creative Team
Katsuhiko Kitada will direct the film, bringing experience from projects such as 'The First Slam Dunk' and 'Attack on Titan.' Akemi Hayashi, known for her work on 'Banana Fish' and 'Lazarus,' is handling character design. The Japanese animation studio CloverWorks, which produced 'Spy X Family' and 'Bocchi the Rock,' is set to produce the movie.
Franchise Context
'Pokémon: Wild Card' marks the first film in the franchise since 2020’s 'Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle.' The teaser highlights Mimikyu, a Pokémon introduced in the seventh generation games 'Sun' and 'Moon' that disguises itself as Pikachu. Additionally, the franchise is preparing for the release of the 10th generation titles, 'Winds' and 'Waves,' in 2027.
Timeline
- 2018The last Pokémon film to receive a worldwide theatrical release, 'The Power of Us,' was released.
- 2020'Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle' was released in Japan.
- 2026The Pokémon franchise celebrated its 30th anniversary.
- 2027'Pokémon: Wild Card' and the 10th generation games 'Winds' and 'Waves' are scheduled for release.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Variety.
